LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 



Chap,. _ Copyright No. 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



RAYS 

OF 

SUNSHINE 

FOR 

EVERY DAY IN THE YEAR 

BY 

S. C. 



n 



NEW YORK 
JAMES POTT & CO., Publishers 
Fourth Avenue and 22D Street. 

1897 



WASHINGTON 



COPYRIGHT 
JAMES POTT & CO. 

1806 



preface* 



HILE in Scotland last summer, 



the idea suddenly came to 
me of writing a year book. These 
daily thoughts do not in the least 
aim at any literary merit: the style 
is, for the most part, conversa- 
tional and very informal. If a word, 
here and there, brings comfort or 
encouragement to some wayfarer 
on life's journey, my object in writ- 
ing will have been accomplished. 

I dedicate this little volume to 
my family and friends, and any one 
who may be interested in reading 
its pages. It takes them, one and 
all, a loving "God bless you," and 
a prayer that it may be a ray of 
sunshine in their lives. 




December, A.D. 1896. 



1Ra$s of Sunsbine. 



January 1. 

Lo, I am with you alway, even 
unto the end of the world. — St. Matt, 
xxviii. 20. 

With this glorious promise ring- 
ing in our ears, we can take fresh 
courage for the new year on which 
we are entering. Instead of mak- 
ing many rash promises to reform, 
let us put each new resolution into 
immediate practice, and in this way 
gain strength for the succeeding 
one. 

January 2. 

Put on the whole armour of God, 
that ye may be able to stand 
against the wiles of the devil. — 
Eph. vi. ii. 

Many of us are apt to think, in 
this nineteenth century, that part 
of the armor is amply sufficient to 
resist the enemy; but never have 
we had greater need of putting on 



6 



tRzys of 



the whole armor, because we are 
liable now of being attacked in the 
most unexpected ways. 

January 3. 

Until the day break, and the 
shadows flee away. — Song of Sol. 
ii. 17. 

It is when the skies are dark and 
starless that we should fix our gaze 
on the bright outlook beyond. This 
faith in the future will keep us from 
despairing, and give us strength to 
live bravely through the dreary days 
that must still intervene. 

January 4. 

Thy kingdom come ... in earth, 
as it is in heaven. — St. Matt. vi. 10. 

Did we only truly realize that 
heaven is wherever we recognize 
God's presence, how much more 
earnestly would we try to spread 
the good news ! By so doing we 
would be helping forward God's 
kingdom here on earth. 



7 



January 5. 

Be not overcome with evil, but 
overcome evil with good. — Rom. 
xii. 21. 

Before the high standard of Right, 
wrong can never hold its own ; ere 
long it must retreat in shame to the 
darkness where it belongs. 

January 6. 

The earth is the Lord's, and the 
fulness thereof. — Psa. xxiv. i. 

Earth's cram'ed with heaven, 

And every common bush afire with God, 

But only he who sees, 

Takes off his shoes. — E. B. Browning. 

Just as a painting shows the char- 
acter of the artist, so the earth, 
God's great picture, reveals Him to 
us. Let us see well that our eyes 
are not blinded to all the wonders 
that lie about us. 

January 7. 

Faith wrought with his works, 
and by works was faith made per- 
fect. — Jas. ii. 22. 



s 



1Ra£s of 



Actions are the living pledges 
which prove that our beliefs are 
vital. By working out that which 
we already know we prepare 
ourselves for receiving new and 
greater truths. 

January 8. 

Fight the good fight of faith, lay 
hold on eternal life. — I. Tim. vi. 12. 

Let us never rest content with 
past victories, but with our new- 
gained strength let us press earnestly 
on to higher conquests. Fresh ob- 
stacles are sure to arise, but with 
God's help, we will as surely be 
able to overcome them. 

January 9. 

There is no fear in love; but per- 
fect love casteth out fear. . . He 
that feareth is not made perfect in 
love. — I. John iv. 18. 

If our hearts are full to overflow- 
ing with a great love, there will be 
no room for bad and unworthy 



Sunshine. 



9 



thoughts. Evil cannot exist in the 
presence of good, because one is 
weak and negative, whereas the 
other is strong and positive. 

January 10. 

Thou wilt keep him in perfect 
peace whose mind is stayed on 
thee; because he trusteth in thee. 
— Isa. xxvi. 3. 

That greatest of blessings, per- 
fect peace, seems, at times, im- 
possible to obtain. Do we not 
struggle for it with an ever-restless 
longing, instead of calmly taking 
God at His word, and believing that 
it is ours for the asking ? 

January 11, 

Let us not be weary in well do- 
ing : for in due season we shall reap, 
if we faint not. — Gal. vi. 9. 

After we have struggled a long 
time to conquer some besetting sin, 
and then find it still masters us, we 
are apt to become disheartened. 



10 



1Ra£6 of 



The difference between a moral and 
temporal victory is that the results 
of one are seldom seen, whereas 
the triumphs of the other are at 
once apparent. 

January 12. 

Pray God, if perhaps the thought 
of thine heart may be forgiven 
thee. — Acts viii. 22. 

If we did but realize that we were 
responsible for our thoughts, as 
well as for our actions, we would 
be far more careful in holding them 
in check. If they get beyond our 
control it is impossible to tell what 
mischief they will work. 

January 13. 

There hath no temptation taken 
you but such as is common to 
man. — I. Cor. x. 13. 

When sorely tempted it is easy 
to think that the temptation is pe- 
culiar to ourselves, and that it is 
impossible for anyone else to un- 



Sungbine. 



derstand the nature of our struggle. 
So we hold ourselves aloof, where- 
as we might be taking the sym- 
pathy and help our friends are so 
willing to give us. 

January 14. 

Ask, and it shall be given you. — 
St. Matt. vii. 7. 

Your heavenly Father knoweth 
that ye have need of all these 
things. — St. Matt. vi. 32. 

In praying we should try to make 
our wills so at one with the divine, 
that we will only want those things 
which God sees best to give us. 
If some cherished wish is with- 
held, we know that it must be for 
a wise purpose. 

January 15. 

Blessed are they that have not 
seen, and yet have believed. — St. 
John xx. 29. 

Whom having not seen, ye love. 
—I. Peter i. 8. 



12 



IRv^s of 



Most of us have our seasons of 
doubt to struggle through. If we 
are really earnest seekers for the 
Light, it must at length come. And 
then it will mean all the more to 
us because of our long period of 
waiting. 

January 16. 

As my Father hath sent me, even 
so send I you. — St. John xx. 21. 

Think, dear friends, of the great 
mission with which Jesus has en- 
trusted you ! If you have not yet 
been faithful in your trust, begin 
this moment to redeem your past 
by filling the present with loving 
service to the dear Master who has 
done so much for you. 

January 17, 

Seeing we also are compassed 
about with so great a cloud of wit- 
nesses, ... let us run with patience 
the race that is set before us. — 
Heb. xii. 1. 



Sunsbine, 



13 



Is it not likely that our dear loved 
ones should be among the cloud of 
witnesses who surround us ? If so, 
then their lives are still indissolubly 
connected with ours, and we need 
no longer think of them as far 
distant from us. 

January 18, 

Therefore came I unto you with- 
out gainsaying, as soon as I was 
sent for. — Acts x. 29. 

Instead of waiting a long time 
in making up our minds as to 
whether or not we will answer a 
call made on us, let us offer our 
help without delay, and be one of 
those valuable persons who are 
always at hand when needed. 

January 1 9. 

Jesus of Nazareth . . . went about 
doing good, . . . for God was with 
him. — Acts x. 38. 

When we see a person lovingly 
busy in helping others, we ask 
" What is the secret of his power ?" 



14 



!Ra£S of 



The answer is usually not hard to 

find. A heart full of love to God 

must let itself overflow in love to 
its fellowmen. 

January 29, 

Cast not away therefore your 
confidence, which hath great rec- 
ompense of reward. — Heb. x. 35. 

If one whom you love sorely 
disappoints you, do not thrust him 
aside. By continuing to trust him 
you may act as a turning point in 
his life. Others may fail you, but 
that is all the more reason you 
should not fail them. 

January 21. 

Lord, what wilt thou have me to 
do ? — Acts ix. 6. 

If we are really earnest in asking 
this question, then, instead of calmly 
sitting still, doing nothing, we 
will at once undertake the duty 
that lies nearest to us. Even while 
accomplishing it, God will throw 



Sunfebtne* 



15 



light on the next work He wishes 
us to do. 

January 22. 

Confess your faults one to an- 
other, and pray one for another. — 
Jas. v. 16. 

By talking over our faults with 
friends, they show us our weak 
points and the way to conquer 
them. Some faults are so subtle 
and ingrained, that unless our at- 
tention is specially called to them, 
we fail to regard them as such. 

January 23. 

Therefore they that were scat- 
tered abroad, went every where 
preaching the word. — Acts viii. 4. 

It is time that we should have 
outgrown that much abused prov- 
erb: "When in Rome, do as the 
Romans." On the contrary, when 
abroad we ought to be all the more 
eager in standing up for our prin- 
ciples, and in showing strangers 
that they are vital to us. 



16 *&aES of 



January 24. 

If ye then be risen with Christ, 
seek those things which are above. 
— Col. iii. i. 

By constantly fixing our thoughts 
on what is pure and spiritual, our 
characters will become more and 
more Christ-like, and our very 
expressions will out-picture the 
divine. 

January 25. 

I can do all things through Christ 
which strengtheneth me. — Phil, 
iv. 13. 

It is far easier to say "I can't'" 
than "I can." Make the necessary 
effort, and determine, with Christ's 
strength, to accomplish your tasks, 
however hard they may be. 

January 26. 

If any man thirst, let him come 
unto me, and drink. — St. John 
vii. 37. 

To nearly all of us comes a time 
when we feel ourselves alone in a 



Sunsbfne. 



17 



vast wilderness, far from God and 
man. Then an angel comes, and 
bids us see the well springing up 
beside us. It has been there all 
along, only our eyes have been too 
self-absorbed to notice it. 

January 27. 

Jesus Christ the same yesterday, 
to-day, and forever. — Heb. xiii. 8. 

Moods, when indulged in, bind 
us with such strong chains that it 
is almost impossible to break them. 
When we begin to feel them getting 
possession of us, let us at once fix 
our thoughts on the changeless, 
and determine to hold our own 
against the intruders. 

January 28. 

He that received the seed into 
stony places, the same is he that 
heareth the word, and anon with 
joy receiveth it; yet hath he not 
root in himself, but dureth for a 
while. — St. Matt. xiii. 20, 21. 



i8 Hags of 



There are some people who im- 
agine they have deep natures and 
profound thoughts. It is, hov/ever, 
a case where actions speak louder 
than words; and judging from the 
meagre results, their hearts appear 
to be extremely shallow! 

January 29. 

Of a truth I perceive that God is 
no respecter of persons: But in 
every nation he that feareth him, 
and worketh righteousness, is ac- 
cepted with him. — Acts x. 34, 35. 

The strongest bond that can unite 
people of different beliefs is their 
common love for God. the Univer- 
sal Father. If, instead of wrangling 
about small differences in sectarian 
doctrines, they would only dwell 
on this great truth, Christianity 
would become so strong that no 
one could resist its sway. 

January 30. 

All things are lawful for me, but 



SunsMne, 



19 



all things are not expedient. — 
I. Cor. x. 23. 

There are many pleasures which 
in themselves are not wrong, but 
on account of their influence on 
others, it were wiser for us to re- 
frain from indulging in them. By 
giving them up, we will some day 
be very glad for having made the 
sacrifice. 

January 31. 

Go to the ant thou sluggard, 
consider her ways and be wise. — 
Prov. vi. 6. 

Never give way to laziness, for 
like all habits, when indulged in, 
it grows in power. Lazy people 
compare themselves, in a self-satis- 
fied way, with those who are even 
lazier still, instead of struggling 
to attain a higher degree of useful- 
ness and influence by contrasting 
their actions with those of men 
who have accomplished great re- 
sults. 



20 



TRags of 



February 1. 

Greater love hath no man than 
this, that a man lay down his life 
for his friends. — St. John xv. 13. 

Our love for our friends ought to 
be so disinterested and so perfect 
that we would not hesitate to un- 
dergo the greatest sacrifice to prove 
our devotion. Let Christ's example 
be such an inspiration in our lives, 
that what might otherwise be hard 
to bear, His love will make easy. 

February 2. 

And why beholdest thou the 
mote that is in thy brother's eye, 
but perceivest not the beam that is 
in thine own eye ? — St. Luke vi. 41. 

When we see our own faults em- 
phasized in others, we forget toa 
easily that we come under the con- 
demnation which we pronounce so 
unmercifully against them. Ought 
not these weaknesses, which we 
share in common, to a greater or 



Sunsbine* 



21 



less degree, make us very tender 
and compassionate towards our 
fellowmen ? 

February 3. 

He that abideth in me, and I in 
him, the same bringeth forth much 
fruit; for without me ye can do 
nothing. — St. John xv. 5. 

We are surprised when a good 
enterprise, which we have under- 
taken, does not succeed. May not 
the cause of our failure be that we 
have trusted too much in our own 
strength, and not sufficiently relied 
•on God's power ? 

February 4. 

And their eyes were opened, and 
they knew him. — St. Luke xxiv. 3 1 . 

Jesus Christ, the Light of the 
World, can alone open our eyes 
and make us conscious of His pres- 
ence and His never-failing power 
to help us in time of need. And 
yet, in spite of this knowledge, 



22 



there are those who still prefer 
darkness to light, and who will 
not see the Master standing beside 
them. 

February 5. 

Wherefore I say unto thee, Her 
sins, which are many, are forgiven; 
for she loved much: but to whom 
little is forgiven, the same loveth 
little. — St. Luke vii. 47. 

A person with a deep, intense 
nature should be judged more leni- 
ently than a person with a petty, 
shallow one. The former may 
commit what to the world may 
seem a far graver sin, but in all 
likelihood his temptation was very 
great, and his remorse will be cor- 
respondingly intense. 

February 6. 

I speak ... to prove the sin- 
cerity of your love. — II. Cor. viii. 8. 

To every man there comes in his 
life a period of testing. If he re- 



Sunsbtne. 



23 



mains faithful and true, his actions 
will prove the sincerity of his love; 
if he fails, he not only lowers him- 
self in the esteem of his friends, but 
loses confidence in his own powers 
of steadfastness. 

February 7. 

And God is able to make all 
grace abound toward you; that ye, 
always having all sufficiency in all 
things, may abound to every good 
work. — II. Cor. ix. 8. 

We ask for strength; then when 
a little comes, we stop asking. If, 
instead of resting content with this 
little, we continually prayed for 
more, we would be able to accom- 
plish far greater results than we 
ever dreamed of at the start. 

February 8. 

Heirs of God, and joint heirs with 
Christ. — Rom. viii. 17. 

Walk worthy of the vocation 



24 IRags ot 



wherewith ye are called. — Eph. 
iv. i. 

Have you ever stopped to realize 
the greatness of your heritage? 
Then claim as your very own the 
great blessings God has promised 
you, and show Him in a rich, 
glorious life your heartfelt grati- 
tude. 

February 9. 

The heavens declare the glory of 
God: and the firmament sheweth 
his handy work. — Psa. xix. i. 

There are inspiration moments 
in our lives when earth seems so 
near to heaven that by stretching 
out our hands we feel as if we could 
touch the Infinite. A glorious sun- 
set overpowers one with a sense 
of God's greatness, and lifts one to 
a higher level. 

February 10. 

His word was with power. — 
St. Luke iv. 32. 

Some people may talk till dooms- 



Suneblne, 



25 



day, and yet not make any impres- 
sion on their hearers. It is not 
words that carry influence, but the 
man behind his words. Christ's 
life was so unselfish and full of 
loving service, that every word He 
uttered was with power, and took 
conviction with it. 

February 1 1 . 

We, being many, are one body 
in Christ, and every one members 
one of another. — Rom. xii. 5. 

If the great sympathetic bond — 
the common brotherhood of man — 
were more dwelt upon, people 
would not take such pains to en- 
large on differences in belief, but, 
instead would join in dwelling on 
the points in which they agreed. 

February 12. 

Thou art careful and troubled 
about many things. — St. Lukex. 41. 

It is all too easy to give an undue 
significance to small things. Be- 
ware of being so absorbed with 



26 !Ra£0 of 



trifles that you fail to see your great 
duties. By cultivating a well- 
balanced mind, you will be saved 
many unnecessary worries and 
mistakes. 

February 13. 

Give and it shall be given unto 
you; good measure, pressed down, 
and shaken together, and running 
over, shall men give unto your 
bosom. — St. Luke vi. 38. 

It is the generous giving out of 
love which helps us even more 
than the receiving of it. Do not 
think because your love is not re- 
ciprocated that it is wasted. All 
true love is of God, and it is never 
sent forth in vain. 

February 14. 

A little leaven leaveneth the 
whole lump. — I. Cor. v. 6. 

It is inconceivable what a far- 
reaching influence one strong, force- 
ful character can have on a com- 



Sunshine* 



27 



munity. The forces of evil cannot 
long exist in the presence of perfect 
purity, but are compelled to seek 
refuge in the darkness where they 
belong. 

February 15. 
There is nothing covered that 
shall not be revealed; and hid, that 
shall not be known. — St. Matt. x.26. 

Could we only know why we 
were called upon to suffer certain 
sorrows and wrongs, it would be 
far easier to bear them patiently. 
But may it not be that this very 
mystery is sent to teach us a more 
trustful faith ? 

February 16. 

Come over into Macedonia, and 
help us. — Acts xvi. 9. 

When you hear God's voice call- 
ing to you, lay aside everything 
that may interfere, and respond at 
once, not reluctantly, but with a 
heart full of cheerfulness. Thank 
God for allowing you to be of use 
in His vineyard. 



28 



IRags of 



February 17. 

That they should seek the Lord, 
if haply they might feel after him, 
and find him, though he be not far 
from every one of us. — Acts xvii. 
27. 

We think of God as far off in the 
heavens, whereas in reality He is 
all around us waiting for us to 
recognize His abiding presence. It 
is only our spiritual blindness 
which needs to be removed. Do 
not let us rest content until the scales 
have fallen from our eyes. 

February 18. 

And ye shall know the truth, and 
the truth shall make you free. — 
St. John viii. 32. 

Truth is unchangeable, but there 
are many different ways of reach- 
ing it. Because you have gained 
one aspect of it, do not depreciate 
your brother's. Concentrate your 
strength in living out the truth you 



SuneMne, 



29 



already know, and thus you will 
prepare yourself for receiving new 
truths. 

February 19. 

They go from strength to 
strength, every one of them in 
Zion appeareth before God. — Psa. 
Ixxxiv. 7. 

Just as the muscles of our arms 
grow stronger with being exercised, 
so does our moral strength increase 
when we put it into constant prac- 
tice. In youth we are meant to 
train for the battles that await us; 
our success will largely depend on 
the force we now acquire. 

February 20. 

In his hand are the deep places 
of the earth: the strength of the 
hills is his also. — Psa. xcv. 4. 

There is something so solemn 
about the immensity of the sea and 
the everlastingness of the hills that 
even the unbeliever insensibly has 



3o ItaES Of 



to acknowledge that a great Power 
rules the universe, and bows down 
before Him in reverence. 

February 21. 

Eyes have they, but they see not; 
they have ears, but they hear not. 
— Psa. cxxxv. 16, 17. 

Some people go through life blind 
and deaf to all that is beautiful 
around them. They are far worse 
than idols: these have a good rea- 
son for not seeing or hearing, 
whereas men have only their own 
stupidity and mental nearsighted- 
ness to blame. 

February 22. 

Turn you to the strong hold, ye 
prisoners of hope. — Zech. ix. 12. 

Gazing steadfastly at something 
that is strong and firm, gives a dis- 
heartened man new courage and 
vigor to press forward to the goal. 
Hope is the most unfailing anchor 
of the soul, and whoever makes it 
his own has gained half the battle 
of life. 



Sunsbine* 



31 



February 23. 

So will I save you, and ye shall 
be a blessing; fear not but let your 
hands be strong. — Zech. viii. 13. 

Our greatest desire should be to 
make our lives a blessing to our 
friends. The question then is: "If 
I am to give strength to others, 
how shall I first gain it for myself? " 
Keep very close to God, and believe 
in your divine self, in your God- 
given nature. Then you will un- 
consciously shed an uplifting in- 
fluence around you. 

February 24. 

There is no peace saith my God, 
to the wicked. — Isa lvii. 21. 

A man starts out with the inten- 
tion of being good. Temptation 
comes; he yields. Conscience at 
first pricks; but he soon silences it 
by plunging into deeper sin. Un~ 
happiness then turns into bitterness 
and indifference. Dear friends, in- 
stead of turning a cold shoulder on 



32 



such a one, extend to him a helping 
hand, because there may yet be 
time to save him. 

February 25. 

I will go in the strength of the 
Lord God: I will make mention 
of thy righteousness, even of thine 
only. — Psa. lxxi. 16. 

Armed with God's strength all 
things are possible to us. When 
filled with a great joy, we long to 
tell of our happiness to those 
around us. This not only helps 
others, but it also strengthens us 
in our faith, and increases our de- 
sire to spread the good news. 

February 26. 

Speak, Lord; for thy servant 
heareth. — I. Sam. iii. 9. 

In this busy world we are so 
taken up with our many occupa- 
tions that we fail to hear the still, 
small voice. We live so far away 
from God that it is no wonder we 



Sunsblne. 



33 



are apt to misname our own de- 
sires God's wishes. 

February 27. 

If God be for us, who can be 
against us? — Rom. viii. 31. 

A great invisible power is far 
stronger than a visible earthly one. 
Knowing that ' 'God and one always 
make a majority," let us take fresh 
courage and trust the Captain of 
our salvation to help us fight our 
battles, and to arm us with divine 
strength for overcoming the enemy. 

February 28. 

Tribulation worketh patience ; 
and patience, experience; and ex- 
perience, hope. — Rom. v. 3, 4. 

Nothing comes by chance. A 
natural law pervades the spiritual 
world, just as a spiritual law per- 
vades the natural world. If you 
wish to gain hope, then you must 
be willing to learn the lessons 
taught by sorrow, patience, and ex- 



34 IRa^s of 



perience, no matter how many 
heartaches these may give you. 

February 29. 

His banner over me was love. — 
Song of Sol. ii. 4. 

Two men set out in life. One 
decided to rule by fear; the other 
by love. The former's servant at 
first reluctantly obeyed, then he 
rebelled, and finally ran away. The 
servant of the latter could not do 
enough for his beloved master. The 
truth of a principle is known by its 
results. 

flarch 1. 

Take therefore no thought for the 
morrow . . . Sufficient unto the 
day is the evil thereof. — St. Matt. 
vi.34. 

When we anticipate the future, 
we are apt to forget the added 
strength that will be given us in 
the meantime. There is much 
homely wisdom in the old proverb, 
" Don't cross the bridge before you 
come to it," and it were well if we 
followed the advice. 



Sunshine* 



35 



/larch 2. 

Take . . . the sword of the 
Spirit which is the word of God. — 
Eph. vi. 17. 

Try to get in the habit of reading 
a chapter in the Bible each day. 
You have no idea what a strength 
and help it will be to you. In this 
world, so full of temptation and 
sorrow, we have great need of 
listening to God's voice speaking 
words of courage and comfort to 
us. 

flarch 3. 

Peter said unto him, Though I 
should die with thee, yet will I not 
deny thee. Likewise also said all 
the disciples. — St. Matt. xxvi. 35. 

When the day is calm and undis- 
turbed, it is very easy to make 
promises, but when the storm 
breaks we often look in vain for 
their fulfilment. Let a man first 
take into consideration what a 
promise may involve, then he will 



36 



Iftags of 



be more ready to cope with its 
difficulties. 

narch 4. 

Master, we have toiled all the 
night, and have taken nothing: 
nevertheless at thy word I will let 
down the net, — St. Luke v. 5. 

Our characters gain strength 
through toiling and struggling. 
Go bravely forward and in God's 
good time your efforts will be 
crowned with success, even though 
it may be built on a foundation of 
apparent failure. 

narch 5. 

Be ye all of one mind, having 
compassion one of another; love as 
brethren, be pitiful, be courteous. 
— 1. Peter iii. 8. 

When we have a special dislike 
for certain persons we find it hard 
at times even to show them cour- 
tesy. Yet this is an effort it is our 
duty to make. Perhaps if we took 



Sunshine. 



37 



the nature of their surroundings 
more into consideration, we would 
find it less difficult to be charitable 
to their failings. 

ilarch 6, 

Unstable as water, thou shalt 
not excel. — Gen. xlix. 4. 

Every man has a perfect right to 
change his opinions, but let him 
not do so without good reason. If 
he always takes color from the last 
new-comer, he will get such a repu- 
tation for fickleness that his friends 
will no longer have any confidence 
in his judgment and will lose all 
regard for his character. 

Ilarch 7. 

We must through much tribula- 
tion enter into the kingdom of 
God. — Acts xiv. 22. 

When we are happy let us pray 
for strength to help us live through 
the hard times which must inevit- 
ably come to each of us, sooner or 



38 IRa^s of 



later. Some day we will be very 
thankful for this reserve force to 
fall back upon. 

riarch 8. 

His mother kept all these sayings 
in her heart. — St. Luke ii. 51. 

If instead of puzzling over the 
solution of unexplainable questions, 
you would quietly leave them at 
rest in your heart and trust God in 
His own good time to send the 
answers, you would save your- 
self much anxiety, and have more 
strength to take up each day's 
common duties. 

riarch 9. 

They shall call on my name, and 
I will hear them: I will say. It is 
my people: and they shall say, The 
Lord is my God. — Zech. xiii. 9. 

The great personal love of God 
for His people is what binds us to 
Him more closely than anything 
else. It is such a joy to feel that 



Sunsbine, 



39 



He is right there, and that it is not 
necessary to travel a long distance 
to find Him. 

March 10. 

And God hath set some [to be] 
helps. — I. Cor. xii. 28. 

We cannot all be geniuses and 
make a great stir in the world, but 
we can, you in your little corner 
and I in mine, be helps to every 
one who comes across our path. 
A little word of encouragement, a 
strong hand grasp, or a cheerful 
look, often do more good than many 
a long sermon. 

March 11. 

J the Lord . . . will hold thine 
hand, and will keep thee. — Isa. 
xlii. 6. 

No matter how many times you 
may backslide, take hold again of 
God's hand and let Him lift you up 
on your feet once more. Profit by 
each experience, no matter how 



4o 



IRags of 



bitter it may be, and let your own 
failings make you very charitable 
towards the weaknesses of others. 

March 1 2. 

The law of truth was in his 
mouth. — Mai. ii. 6. 

if a man once establishes a repu- 
tation for absolute truthfulness, no 
one will ever think of doubting 
him. Every word he says will 
carry conviction with it. because 
he who believes in himself is sure 
to make others believe in him. 

flarch 13. 

The perfect law of liberty. — 
Jas. i. 25. 

We are apt to think of law as 
something binding and irksome, 
which, if possible, we would gladly 
throw off. He who has experi- 
enced the blessedness of being 
under the perfect law of liberty will 
have no such desire. When a man 
becomes a law to himself he no 
longer has to think of the law. 



Sunabtne, 



41 



March 14. 

Where no wood is, there the fire 
goeth out: so where there is no 
tale-bearer, the strife ceaseth. — 
Prov. xxvi. 20. 

Some people seem to take an ab- 
normal delight in adding fuel to 
flame. They take advantage of 
every occasion to spread disagree- 
able bits of gossip about their neigh- 
bors. Such tale-bearers should be 
safely quarantined, and a red flag 
hung out of their window to de- 
note danger ! 

flarch 15. 

I will open you the windows 
of heaven and pour you out a 
blessing, that there shall not be 
room enough to receive it. — Mai. 
iii. io. 

Joy is our birthright. If we 
realized this, we would take greater 
pains to claim it, and not content 
ourselves with a lukewarm enjoy- 
ment. Don't be afraid to show 



42 



•fiteBS Of 



your happiness. By giving it ex- 
pression you may bring it into 
other lives. 

ilarch 16. 

He loved him as he loved his 
own soul. — I. Sam. xx. 17. 

I am distressed for thee, my 
brother Jonathan: very pleasant 
hast thou been unto me: thy love 
to me was wonderful, passing the 
love of women. — II. Sam. i. 26. 

A perfect friendship involves a 
perfect love — a love which always 
thinks first of the loved one, which 
can remain unshaken through the 
hardest tests, and which strengthens 
its hold every day. It is ever an in- 
spiration even to read about such a 
friendship, and a far greater one to 
experience it. 

flarch 17. 

When thou passest through the 
waters, I will be with thee; and 
through the rivers, they shall not 



Sunshine. 



43 



overflow thee ... for I am 
the Lord thy God, the Holy One 
of Israel, thy Saviour. — Isa. xliiu 
2, 3. 

If we really believe that God 
made the world, and that He reveals 
Himself to us in the wonders of 
nature, we would have no more 
fear. We would feel His presence in 
the thunder, see His glory in the 
lightning, and after the storm hear 
the still small voice. 

March 18. 

And they shall be mine, saith the 
Lord of hosts, in that day when I 
make up my jewels. — Mai. iii. 17. 

Some jewels become so dusty 
and lustreless that they require a 
thorough cleansing before they can 
shine again. Let us not murmur, 
then, when sorrows and hardships 
come, because these are meant to 
make us more meet for the Mas- 
ter's use. 



44 



March 19, 

They gave after their ability 
unto the treasure of the work. — 
Ezra ii. 69. 

There are many half-hearted men 
and women who are only too ready 
to shift their own responsibilities on 
the shoulders of others. God has 
assigned to each one of you your 
special work, and He expects you 
to do it to the best of your ability. 
Earnestly seek to fulfil your trust! 

riarch 20. 

Peace. — Psa. iv. 8; xxxiv. 14. 
Isa. xlviii. 18. St. Mark ix. 50. St. 
Luke i. 79. Rom. x. 15. St. John 
xiv. 27. Eph. ii. 14, 17. Phil. iv. 7. 
James iii. 18. II. Peter iii. 14. 

So many glorious blessings have 
been promised to those who pos- 
sess this peace that no man should 
rest content until he has made it 
his own. Do not get discouraged 
if it does not come at once. The 



Sunsbine. 45 



long weary waiting will make you 
treasure it all the more when it is 
at last yours. 

March 21. 

Woe unto them that call evil good, 
and good evil; that put darkness 
for light, and light for darkness; 
that put bitter for sweet, and sweet 
for bitter! — Isa. v. 20. 

Through lack of control some 
minds get so distorted that it 
seems impossible for them to call 
things by their proper names. If 
such is your case, make a bold 
stand now and put a strong curb 
on your thoughts. 

March 22. 

Oh that I knew where I might 
find him! that 1 might come even 
to his seat! — job xxiii. 3. 

One of the greatest proofs of our 
divinity is this craving for God 
which, at some time, must come 
to every human sou!. There are 



46 1Ra$s of 



people who try to quench it, but in 
the end they have to acknowledge 
that there is no rest apart from Him. 

fiarch 23. 

Pure religion and undefiled be- 
fore God and the Father is this, 
To visit the fatherless and widows 
in their affliction, and to keep him- 
self unspotted from the world. — 
Jas. i. 27. 

The most lasting good is always 
done unconsciously. Be so loving 
and sympathetic that your mere 
presence will bring hope and com- 
fort. The minute sympathy is 
forced people resent it. 

March 24. 

At evening time it shall be light. 
— Zech. xiv. 7. 

During the day, when the thick 
clouds have shut out the sun, think 
of the sweet light that has been 
promised at evening time. Then 
you will gain fresh courage to bear 



47 



your cross, and a flood of hopeful- 
ness will fill your heart with re- 
joicing. 

March 25. 

Who maketh his angels spirits, 
his ministers a flaming fire. — Psa. 
civ. 4. 

Good done unostentatiously is 
far more reaching in its effects than 
when blown with a trumpet. 
Spirits are invisible, and yet we do 
not begin to realize the immense 
influence of their quiet, unseen 
v/ork. The memory of loved ones 
who have gone from us is a con- 
stant inspiration in our lives. 

March 26. 

Thou art weighed in the balances, 
and art found wanting. — Dan. v. 27. 

When a man at last awakens to 
the fact that he is wanting, instead 
of folding his hands and lazily say- 
ing, "O! I'm too old to change," 
he ought to go right ahead and 
show his moral backbone by try- 



48 



TCays of 



ing with all his might to make up 
for the deficiency. 

March 27. 

The shadow of a great rock in a 
weary land. — Isa. xxxii. 2. 

After weary days of wandering 
through the trackless desert, how 
welcome to us is the shade of a 
great rock or tree! God often has 
a refuge prepared for us when we 
least expect to find one. He knows 
the whole extent of our sufferings, 
and has promised never to give us 
more than we are able to bear. 

March 28. 

" A little child shall lead them." 

God hath chosen the weak things 
of the world to confound the things 
which are mighty. — I. Cor. i. 27. 

The straightforward simplicity of 
children often helps them to see a 
truth which our complex reasoning 
hides from us. We would do well 
to take example from them and 



Sunsblne* 



49 



not worry ourselves so needlessly 
over unnecessary and minor details 
which only serve to obstruct the 
light from the greater truths. 

March 29. 

I the Lord search the heart, I try 
the reins, even to give every man 
according to his ways, and accord- 
ing to the fruit of his doings. — Jer. 
xvii. 10. 

Would it not be a wise plan if 
every man were to organize a defi- 
nite sweeping day ? Then he could 
brush away the cobwebs which, 
during the week, have clustered 
about his character, and set the 
furniture straight in his memory. 

riarch 30. 

Let your hands be strengthened, 
and be ye valiant. — II. Sam. ii. 7. 

Sometimes we are liable to over- 
estimate our strength and fail to 
take in a new supply. To be 
sound and of real worth (valiant) 



50 



itass Of 



we need constant replenishing. 
Thank God there is always an un- 
failing store of strength we can 
draw from, and He gives this for 
the asking. 

narch 31. 

Let no . , . man put a stumbling- 
block or an occasion to fall in his 
brother's way. — Rom. xiv. 13. 

There are some people who have 
an evil faculty of continually say- 
ing or doing some little mean thing 
which attacks another in just his 
weakest point. He who causes 
his brother to sin will be held just 
as responsible, if not more so, than 
the one who sins. 

April 1. 

Consider the lilies of the field, 
how they grow; they toil not, nei- 
ther do they spin. — St. Matt. vi. 28. 

Many people, by analyzing them- 
selves too much, analyze away 
their powers of growth, and sud- 
denly come to an introspective 



Sunsbine, 



51 



standstill. They would do well to 
look for a moment outward, and 
profit by the lessons Nature is con- 
stantly teaching. It is not by in- 
trospection, but by circumspection 
(in its literal sense of looking 
around), that man can ever expect 
to grow. 

April 2. 

And he saw that rest was good. 
— Gen. xlix. 15. 

When one is constantly living in 
an atmosphere of rush, unless a 
man is proof against it, he is likely 
to lose his equilibrium, and join in 
with the revolving whirlpool. And 
when once in, it is almost impos- 
sible to get out. If a man wishes 
to keep his balance, it is absolutely 
necessary for him to guard against 
extremes, in work as well as in 
play. 

April 3. 

I will heal their backsliding, I 
will love them freely: for mine 



52 



IRags of 



anger is turned away from him. — 
Hosea xiv. 4. 

Most people, alas! find it easier 
to slide backward than forward. If 
you do fall, instead of dwelling on 
your failure, use it as a stepping- 
stone to something higher. With 
God's love to back you, you should 
have no fear, but press on with re- 
newed courage and determination 
to win the victory. 

April 4. 

The secret of the Lord is with 
them that fear him; and he will 
show them his covenant. — Psa. 
xxv. 14. 

A friend will never tell you his 
heart's secret unless he feels as- 
sured of your understanding love 
and sympathy. We must get very 
near to God if we would have Him 
reveal to us the secrets of His 
nature, and the life work He would 
have us undertake and accomplish. 



Sunsbine* 



53 



April 5. 

Neither is he that planteth any- 
thing, neither he that watereth; 
but God that giveth the increase. — 
I. Cor. iii. 7. 

Some men are so taken up with 
the fine results of their labors, and 
the marvelous wisdom they have 
displayed, that God remains but 
an unknown factor. In reality we 
are so dependent on Him, that 
nothing ever comes to us which 
He, in His love, has not sent. 

April 6. 

For who maketh thee to differ 
from another ? And what hast 
thou that thou didst not receive ? — 
I. Cor. iv. 7. 

True genius should never brag; 
in its greatness it ought to get be- 
yond the realm of selfish compari- 
son. It is only small minds that 
harp on their own individual tal- 
ents, and talk disparagingly of 
their neighbors' virtues. 



54 



1Ra£6 of 



April 7. 

They shall still bring forth fruit in 
old age. — Psa. xcii. 14. 

It must ever be an inspiration to 
come in contact with one who has 
lived through life's many and varied 
experiences, and who still retains a 
strong faith, unshaken by disap- 
pointment and bereavement. It 
seems as if to such souls had been 
granted a prophetic insight into 
the great Beyond, and that this 
glimpse had helped to harmonize 
the perplexing problems of the 
world. 

April 8. 

[He] is able to do exceedingly 
abundantly above all that we ask 
or think. — Eph. iii. 20. 

We, with our human limitations, 
are too apt to put a limit to God's 
infinite greatness. We keep ques- 
tioning His power, instead of tak- 
ing Him at His word, and trusting 
Him to do that which is for our 
highest welfare. 



Sungbine* 



55 



April 9. 

The harvest truly is plenteous, 
but the labourers are few. — St. 
Matt. ix. 37. 

If you only could begin to realize 
what a tremendous field lies before 
you, you would not hesitate one 
moment to take up your life's work. 
Even if your success is not at once 
apparent, you will have put forth a 
force which in God's time will be 
the means of accomplishing great 
good. 

April 10. 

As many as received him, to 
them gave he power to become 
the sons of God, even to them that 
believe on his name. — St. John i. 12. 

How many of us use this power, 
and try to live up to our divine 
calling ? Let us, as sons of God, 
claim the blessings of our heritage, 
and go forth in the strength of 
Jesus Christ, our great Elder 
Brother, to fight in the battle for 



56 "Rags of 



Right and Purity, always keeping 
our armor free from stain. 

April 11. 

I AM hath sent me unto you. — 
Ex. iii. 14. 

God has endowed each of us 
with a mission, therefore we are 
all missionaries, no matter what 
our different callings may be. Let 
us see to it that none of 'us remain 
idle, and thus obscure our mental 
vision. The great I AM has sent 
us, and we are responsible to Him 
for the use we make of our talents. 

April 12. 

Whosoever exalteth himself shall 
be abased; and he that humbleth 
himself shall be exalted.— St. Luke 
xiv. 1 1. 

To be truly great is to do hard 
things without giving people the 
impression of their being hard. 
The man who is continually brag- 
ging about the difficulty of his 



SunaMne. 



57 



tasks and all he accomplishes, be- 
comes so wearisome that he loses 
all influence, and makes you want 
to take especial pains to avoid his 
society. 

April 13. 

If any man love the world, the 
love of the Father is not in him. — 
I. John ii. 15. 

Ye cannot serve God and mam- 
mon. — St. Luke xvi. 13. 

Many have tried to combine the 
two, but their efforts have invari- 
ably resulted in failure. We should 
have for our object not to be the 
weak slaves of the world, but to 
serve it by bringing it nearer to 
God. This we alone can do by 
leading heavenly lives, thus show- 
ing to others that serving God 
makes one far happier than serving 
the world. 



58 



IRa^s of 



April 14. 

Put off thy shoes from off thy 
feet; for the place whereon thou 
standest is holy ground. — Ex. iii. 5, 

Some men grow so used to what 
is beautiful that they no longer give 
it any thought. For instance, a 
peasant living in a wild, beautiful 
spot of nature is never thrilled by 
a glorious sunset. His eyes have 
not been opened to see the divine 
wonders of God's great world; he 
continues to move in a narrow 
circle of his own making. 

April 15. 

He endured, as seeing him who 
is invisible. — Heb. xi. 27. 

Nothing is so helpful to the one 
who is struggling in the mires of 
doubt and despair as the conscious- 
ness of a friend's love. Christ is 
the Friend that sticketh closer than 
a brother, and who is ever holding 
out a lifting hand to the downcast 
and fallen. Take hold of His 



Bunebme. 



59 



strength, and you will be able to 
overcome any obstacle. 

April 16. 

My soul, wait thou only upon 
God, for my expectation is from 
him. — Psa. lxii. 5. 

We imagine sometimes that we 
are trusting God absolutely ; yet if 
we were to analyze our feelings, 
we would be surprised to find how 
far this is from being the case. It 
is hard for us to place ourselves 
entirely in God's hands, and let 
Him work out His will in us. This 
confiding faith comes only through 
much prayer. 

April 17. 

Every man hath his proper gift 
of God, one after this manner, and 
another after that. — I. Cor. vii. 7. 

We cannot all expect to have the 
same talents, but God does demand 
of us that we should each make 
the uttermost of the gift He has en- 



6o 



1Ra£5 of 



trusted to us. So, instead of wast- 
ing your time bewailing your short- 
comings, improve it by acquiring 
new virtues, and adding strength 
to old ones. 

April 18. 

Men ought always to pray, and 
not to faint. — St. Luke xviii. i. 

When a long time passes, and 
still our prayers remain unan- 
swered, we grow faint-hearted, 
and begin to question whether, 
after all, God does love us. Per- 
haps, dear friend, God is even now 
sending an answer in a manner 
wholly unexpected to you. Live 
steadily up to your light, and be 
willing to wait patiently for your 
desired blessing, believing all the 
while that it will come. 

April 19. 

Use this world, as not abusing 
it. — I. Cor. vii. 31. 

Between the use and abuse of a 
thing the boundary line is some- 



Sunsbine* 



61 



times so vague, that almost uncon- 
sciously we overstep its limits. 
Then we find it all too easy to go 
ahead, and all too hard to turn 
back. Yet, if we would have oth- 
ers walk straight, we must take 
especial pains to walk straight our- 
selves. 

April 20. 

When thou makest a feast, call 
the poor, the maimed, the lame, 
the blind. And thou shalt be 
blessed; for they cannot recom- 
pense thee. — St. Luke xiv. 13, 14. 

The man who always expects 
to have his hospitality returned has 
not yet learned the true meaning of 
hospitality. The joy of being able 
to extend a kindness to a friend or 
stranger should be sufficient com- 
pensation for any trouble to which 
he may have been put. 

April 21. 

Looking steadfastly on him 
[they] saw his face as it had 



62 1RaE0 of 



been the face of an angel. — Acts 
vi. 15. 

There is a vast difference be- 
tween a handsome face and a 
lovely face. The former denotes 
regularity of feature and a certain 
charm of contour, whereas the 
other expresses love portrayed in 
visible form. Feature beauty pleases 
for the moment; soul beauty lasts 
forever. 

April 22. 

My brethren, be strong in the 
Lord, and in the power of his 
might. — Eph. vi. 10. 

Contact with strong, forceful men 
and women must always be an in- 
spiration. They call forth what is 
purest and best in us; with them 
we are incapable of showing any 
petty meannesses. Their noble- 
ness demands nobleness from us in 
return. 



Sunsblne* 



6 3 



April 23. 

Daughter, be of good comfort: 
thy faith hath made thee whole; go 
in peace. — St. Luke viii. 48. 

How lovingly must the Master's 
voice have sounded in the poor, 
sick woman's ears! Her faith had, 
indeed, been rewarded, even be- 
yond her expectations. She doubt- 
less returned to her home with a 
strong determination to prove by 
her deeds how real her thankful- 
ness was. 

April 24. 

Go, and I will be with thy 
mouth, and teach thee what thou 
shalt say. — Ex. iv. 12. 

When the time comes for us to 
speak out bravely, we are so afraid 
that we will not say exactly the 
right thing that we keep silence, 
and let the golden opportunity pass 
by. If God gives you a message 
to repeat, believe that He will make 



*&a£6 of 



you His mouthpiece, and that you 
will be eloquent in spite of your 
halting speech. 

April 25. 

Commune with your own heart 
upon your bed, and be still. — Psa. 
iv. 4. 

If we set apart a certain time 
each day for quiet meditation, we 
would gain many new thoughts, 
and acquire fresh strength to meet 
the various duties which go to 
make up our daily life. It is a mis- 
take to let action crowd out repose. 
The rounded man is he who has 
learned how to harmonize the two. 

April 26. 

The disciple whom Jesus loved 
. . . leaned on his breast. — St. 
John xxi. 20. 

If you long to fathom the depth 
of Christ's love, you must get very 
near His heart, and let His words 
vibrate through your very being. 



Sunsbine* 



65 



In Dagnan-Bouveret's painting of 
the Last Supper, the features of 
the beloved disciple reflect those 
of his divine Master, thus showing 
the effect of close personal contact 
and communion. 

April 27. 

Let the words of my mouth, and 
the meditation of my heart, be ac- 
ceptable in thy sight. — Psa. xix. 14. 

If a man has control of his 
thoughts, and is able to concen- 
trate them on what is noble and 
uplifting, his actions are sure to be 
correspondingly good. When there 
is a missing link between the 
tongue and the brain (and alas! 
how many people have these miss- 
ing links), disastrous results inevit- 
ably follow. 

April 28. 

In your patience possess ye your 
souls. — St. Luke xxi. 19. 

In times of sore anxiety, when 
we do not know which turn the 



66 IRags of 



crisis will take, it takes a great deal 
of character to patiently await 
results. Keep firmly expecting 
the best, while at the same time 
steel yourself against disappoint- 
ment. God is preparing the future 
for you, as well as you for the 
future. 

April 29. 

He that thresheth in hope should 
be partaker of his hope. — I. Cor. 
ix. 10. 

Hope is the most strengthening 
food that the soul can feed upon. 
The moment a man loses it, he be- 
gins to sink, and the outlook grows 
blacker and blacker. Hope is pro- 
gressive and invigorating; hope- 
lessness is retrogressive and weak- 
ening. 

April 30. 

They which preach the gospel 
should live of the gospel. — I. Cor. 
ix. 14. 

It is only natural that more 
should be expected of a person 



Sunabine, 



67 



who preaches, than of one who 
quietly fulfills his daily duties. Let 
him rise to his responsibility, and 
strive most earnestly to make his 
actions accord with his words, thus 
becoming, in very truth, a living 
epistle of Christ. 

ilay 1. 

Do all that is in thine heart; for 
God is with thee. — I. Chron. xvii. 2. 

When we at first start on a dif- 
ficult task, we are apt to be so 
overcome by the sense of our weak- 
ness, that we hesitate whether or 
not it is best to proceed. It is then 
that we should look away from 
self to God, and let our hearts be 
so permeated with His strength that 
we will no longer have time to 
think of our own shortcomings. 

May 2. 

And when he saw a fig tree in 
the way, he came to it, and found 
nothing thereon, but leaves only. — 
Matt. xxi. 19. 



*68 IRags of 



A life that was made to bear 
beautiful fruit, and, instead, only 
produces leaves, is one of the sad- 
dest failures in the world. Jesus 
Christ always had pity on the way- 
ward and weak, but the fruitless 
lives which were content merely to 
exist, fell under His strong condem- 
nation, and even their leaves were 
taken away from them. 

flay 3. 

I had rather speak five words 
with my understanding, that by 
my voice 1 might teach others also r 
than ten thousand words in an un- 
known tongue. — I. Cor. xiv. 19. 

Some men, in their blind foolish- 
ness, imagine that by using high- 
flown, unintelligible words they can 
make the profoundest impression 
on their audience. It is rather the 
simple, direct language of truth 
that has the greatest power to con- 
vince, and he who employs it is 
the really wise man. 



SunsMne* 



6 9 



Hay 4. 

That God may be all in all. — 
I. Cor. xv. 28. 

Holiness consists in being emp- 
tied of self and filled with God. 
Every earnest man longs to reflect 
more and more clearly the divine 
image, and to so let his spiritual 
nature control his lower, that he 
will only have high and holy 
thoughts, and do pure and Christ- 
like actions. 

May 5. 

Enter thou into thy chambers, 
and shut thy doors about thee: 
hide thyself as it were for a little 
moment, until the indignation be 
overpast. — Isa. xxvi. 20. 

If something has gone wrong, 
and you feel indignation getting 
the better of you, go straight to 
your room, and do not leave it 
until you feel sure that you have 
regained the mastery of yourself. 



70 *Ra£S of 



By giving way to anger one loses 
one's self-respect, besides doing a 
great deal of mischief. 

Hay 6. 

If any man will do his will, he 
shall know of the doctrine, whether 
it be of God, or whether I speak 
of myself. — St. John vii. 17. 

Instead of fruitlessly puzzling 
over some abstract question which 
you are unable to solve, live out 
conscientiously the truth that you 
already know, and thus you will 
prepare yourself for the acquisition 
of further knowledge. Living opens 
the way for seeing. 

Hay 7. 

There is one glory of the sun, 
and another glory of the moon, and 
another glory of the stars; for one 
star differeth from another star in 
glory. — I. Cor. xv. 41. 

Every one can't expect to shine 
with the same brilliancy, but every 



Sunshine. 



71 



one should be willing to give out 
all the light that is in him, and not 
cover it with a shade just because 
somebody else happens to be more 
luminous. The world needs all the 
light it can get, in order to dispel 
the darkness. 

May 8. 

[Love] is not easily provoked, 
thinketh no evil. — 1. Cor. xiii. 5. 

It is often little indescribable things 
which most easily provoke us; then 
we hate ourselves for giving way 
to such uncharitable feelings. If we 
had our thoughts under better con- 
trol, we could prevent their reach- 
ing this explosive climax, and in- 
stead, direct them into the channel 
of that love which thinketh no evil. 

May 9. 

For the commandment is a lamp ; 
and the law is light; and reproofs 
of instruction are the way of life. — 
Prov. vi. 23. 

To sensitive natures hardly any- 



72 IRags of 



thing hurts more than a reproof, 
especially when given by one we 
love. Yet if we took into consid- 
eration the spirit in which it was 
given, it would be less hard to bear, 
and we would more readily profit 
by our mistakes and failures. 

May 10. 

I know thy works, that thou art 
neither cold nor hot: I would thou 
wert cold or hot. — Rev. iii. 15. 

The slough of indifference is one 
of the worst pits in which a man 
can fall. When he once gets in, 
he seems hardly to be aware of the 
fact, and apparently shows no de- 
sire to extricate himself. When you 
feel yourself approaching the dan- 
gerous edge, turn around before it 
is too late, and run in the opposite 
direction. 

Hay 11. 

To this end was I born, and for 
this cause came I into the world, 



Sunsbine. 



73 



that I should bear witness unto the 
truth. — St. John xviii. 37. 

Truth is the corner-stone of all 
character. However baffled it at 
times may be, in the end it is sure 
to gain the victory, and carry with 
it the relentless force of conviction. 
Could a man enjoy a higher privi- 
lege than being a living witness to 
this truth ? 

May 12. 

And Peter followed him afar off. 
— St. Mark xiv. 54. 

If you happen to have a friend 
whom the world may call unpopu- 
lar, don't, for that reason, avoid 
mentioning his name, but always 
be ready to stand up for him, and 
prove by your actions that you 
value his friendship, and that you 
mean to be true to him at what- 
ever cost. 

Hay 13. 

Ecce Homo — Behold the man! — 
St. John xix. 5. 

By constantly gazing on the Son 



74 



IRags of 



of man and holding communion 
with Him, you will by degrees 
come to reflect His image. Your 
Christ-likeness may then be the 
means of inducing others to follow 
your example. There is no greater 
inspiration than the ideal of a per- 
fect life. 

Hay 14. 

These that have turned the world 
upside down are come hither also. 
— Acts xvii. 6. 

It does nearly every one good 
once in a while to be turned inside 
out, and to get a good dusting! A 
man is all the better in the end for 
having some of his illusions done 
away with; then he is compelled 
to think for himself, and it is this 
individual thinking that makes 
character. 

May 15. 

Light is sown for the righteous, 
and gladness for the upright in 
heart. — Psa. xcvii. n. 

Good people are apt to question 



Sunebtne* 



75 



why they have to suffer so much. 
It is often because they cherish false 
ideas, and these can only be dis- 
pelled by pain. Then when they 
see truth shine forth in all its 
clearness, their gladness will be 
correspondingly great, because 
built on a broad and sure founda- 
tion. 

Hay 16. 

For this cause have I raised thee 
up, for to shew in thee my power. 
— Ex. ix. 1 6. 

Every person creates an atmos- 
phere about him. It is either pos- 
itive, negative or indifferent, cor- 
responding to the indwelling spirit. 
God made man to be a channel of 
His power. Could any duty be 
more beautiful than manifesting to 
others the love of God ? 

May 17. 

Nevertheless I have somewhat 
against thee, because thou hast left 
thy first love. — Rev. ii. 4. 



7 6 



IRa^s of 



True love is eternal, and its in- 
fluence in a man's life is undying. 
Because you have a new friend that 
is no reason why you should for- 
sake an old one. Love ought to 
know no boundaries, but be all- 
inclusive in its range, for God is 
love. 

May 18. 

I say unto you, Love your ene- 
mies, bless them that curse you, 
do good to them that hate you, 
and pray for them which despite- 
fully use you, and persecute you. — 
St. Matt. v. 44. 

We accept this in theory, but 
when the time comes for putting 
it into practice, we are often found 
wanting. If a man has done you 
a real tangible wrong, instead of 
harboring feelings of hatred against 
him, seek at once to control them, 
and pray God to teach you the 
spirit of true forgiveness. 



Sunshine. 



77 



May 19. 

Out of the depths have I cried 
unto thee. My soul waiteth for 
the Lord more than they that watch 
for the morning. — Psa. cxxx. i, 6. 

The dear heavenly Father will 
not leave us alone in our need. He 
sometimes answers our prayer for 
light by sending unforeseen minis- 
tering angels to help us out of the 
depths, and show us hidden ways 
across the threshold of pain and 
sorrow. 

Hay SO. 

For if the trumpet give an uncer- 
tain sound, who shall prepare him- 
self to the battle ? — I. Cor. xiv. 8. 

If you are entrusted with an 
important message to deliver, do 
not leave out the disagreeable part 
just for fear of displeasing your 
friend. Tell him the whole truth, 
and trust him so to understand the 
effort this costs you, that he will 



78 



IRa^s ot 



profit by the advice, and in the end 
thank you for your straightforward 
sincerity. 

May 21. 

And other sheep I have, which 
are not of this fold: them also I 
must bring, and they shall hear my 
voice, and there shall be one fold, 
and one shepherd. — St. John x. 16. 

Different sects and religions set 
up folds of their own; each one 
thinks his is the best, and looks 
down with disdain on the sheep in 
the other folds. Why not pull 
down all these walls of partition, 
and acknowledge the one Great 
Shepherd as master over the whole 
flock ? 

May 22. 

Seek the Lord and his strength, 
seek his face continually. — I. Chron. 
xvi. i i. 

We feel at times as if God's face 
were hidden from us, and that He 
is far, far away and unable to help 



Sunsbtne. 



79 



us in our need. It is rather our 
own blindness which prevents our 
seeing Him, and what we should 
pray for is not that God may come 
back to us, but that the scales may 
fall from our eyes. 

May 23. 

For all the Athenians, and stran- 
gers which were there, spent their 
time in nothing else, but either to 
tell or to hear some new thing. — 
Acts xvii. 21. 

There are some inquisitive and 
sieve-like people who are always 
on the lookout for bits of news. 
No sooner do they get wind of 
any, than they begin at once to 
publish abroad the facts (or illu- 
sions), taking good care, all the 
while, of making a mountain out 
of a mole hill. Of such beware! 

May 24. 

Hatred stirreth up strifes: but 
love covereth all sins. — Prov. x. 12. 



8o IRags of 



When a man opens his heart to 
hatred, with it come a hundred 
uninvited guests, and after they 
have once made their appear- 
ance, they are in no hurry to leave. 
Love alone is strong enough to 
make them go, and her utmost in- 
fluence must be used before she 
can crowd them out. 

May 25. 

Go, do all that is in thine heart; 
for the Lord is with thee. — II. Sam. 
vii. 3. 

With the Lord on our side to help 
us, we need have no fear, but we can 
march bravely forward, with hearts 
full of faith in His guiding power. 
Defeat may be success in disguise, 
so if events do not take the course 
you planned for them, be sure that 
God is leading you by a better way, 
and that you are absolutely safe in 
His keeping. 

May 26. 

The thing that hath been, it is 
that which shall be, and that which 



Sunsblne. 



81 



is done is that which shall be done: 
and there is no new thing under 
the sun. — Eccl. i. 6. 

It is given to some men to pre- 
sent old truths in such new and 
vivid lights, that what seemed once 
cold and meaningless suddenly be- 
comes real and full of power. It 
is as if a sculptor had with a touch 
of magic awakened a piece of mar- 
ble into life. 

May 27. 

As [a man] thinketh in his heart, 
so is he. — Prov. xxiii. 7. 

If, instead of trying to reform a 
man by punishing merely his wrong 
deeds, we went back into the root 
of the matter, and tried to change 
his heart, our work would be far 
more fruitful and lasting. Pure 
thoughts must necessarily result in 
pure actions. 

May 28. 

Peradventure ten shall be found 
there. And he said, I will not de- 



32 TRags of 



stroy it for ten's sake. — Gen. xviii. 

32. 

It is incalculable the amount of 
influence a handful of strong, ear- 
nest people can have on a commu- 
nity. By continually emphasizing 
the power of right, they will over- 
come the forces of evil, and end in 
establishing a government based 
on righteousness and truth. 

May 29. 

Neglect not the gift that is in 
thee. — I. Tim. iv. 14. 

If you do not cultivate your tal- 
ents, they will disappear" through 
disuse, or else they will become so 
rusty that it will be next to impos- 
sible to do anything with them. 
Don't let yourself lapse into a state 
of indifference, but bestir yourself 
now, this very minute, and let the 
work of the present somewhat atone 
for the neglect of the past. You 
have a mission to fulfil, and you 
must fulfil it! 



Sunsbine* 



83 



May 30. 

For precept must be upon precept : 
line upon line, . . . here a little, 
and there a little. — Isa. xxviii. 10. 

The lessons of life must be 
learned by slow stages and often 
through hard experiences. Some- 
times we chafe at the unreasona- 
bleness of so much suffering, and 
begin to question the wisdom of 
God's guidance. It is then that we 
should try to feel that God's ways 
are far better than our ways, and 
that in the end all this discipline 
will have purified and strengthened 
our characters. 

Hay 31. 

Make the captain of their salva- 
tion perfect through sufferings. — 
Heb. ii. 10. 

Sorrow is a great educator and 
refiner. A man may not realize 
this when he is in the dark waters 
of an overwhelming grief. But 
when his feet touch ground once 



84 *Ka^5 of 



more, he can look back over the 
past experience, and trace each 
step by which God has taught him 
some needful lesson; with the 
knowledge of this progress his 
bitterness disappears. 

June 1. 

O the depth of the riches both of 
the wisdom and knowledge of 
God! How unsearchable are his 
judgments, and his ways past find- 
ing out! — Rom. xi. 35. 

It is impossible for us to fathom 
the unfathomable love of God. 
When inexplicable sorrows and 
worries come to us, let us strive to 
feel that in some way they are 
necessary for our development, 
and that in the great future we 
will know the reason why. 

June 2. 

Then Jonathan and David made 
a covenant, because he loved him 
as his own soul. — I. Sam. xviii. 3. 



Sunshine. 



85 



Perfect friendship never doubts 
nor questions. Where it cannot 
understand, it is content to trust on 
in the silence, convinced all the 
while that some day, when the 
mists have cleared away, every- 
thing will be made clear in the 
light of God's love. 

June 3. 

The works that I do in my 
Father's name, they bear witness 
of me. — St. John x. 25. 

You could talk until doomsday 
to some people, and still they 
would not be convinced. The best 
way to appeal to them is to quietly 
go ahead and transform your words 
into actions. Tangible facts help 
to remove doubts sooner than any- 
thing else in the world. 

June 4. 

For thou hast been a strength to 
the poor, a strength to the needy 
in his distress, a refuge from the 



86 1Ra£S Ot 



storm, a shadow from the heat. — 
Isa. xxv. 4. 

Those who have been through 
the deep waters, and been con- 
scious of God's supporting hand, 
come out of them with a new faith, 
and a determination never again to 
doubt His all-loving care. Things 
learned by experience become a part 
of our very lives, and can never be 
forgotten. 

June 5. 

Herein do I exercise myself, to 
have always a conscience void of 
offense toward God, and toward 
men. — Acts xxiv. 16. 

A man with a perfectly clear 
conscience can endure almost any 
amount of suffering; but as soon 
as it becomes in the least tarnished 
with error, the power of deciding 
between truth and falseness is les- 
sened, and before long he finds 
himself hopelessly entangled in the 
mesh of conflicting ideas. 



Sunsbine. 



8 7 



June 6. 

For the needy shall not always 
be forgotten : the expectation of the 
poor shall not perish for ever. — Psa. 
ix. 18. 

It is a mistaken idea that God 
cares only for the rich, and leaves 
the poor to take care of themselves. 
He loves each one of His children, 
but, in His wisdom, He sees that 
what would help on the education 
of one would retard that of another. 
We should, therefore, be content 
to trust Him with the shaping of 
our lives. 

June 7. 

Our sufficiency is of God. — II. 
Cor. iii. 5. 

The great lesson for us to learn 
is that God always gives us a sup- 
ply equal to our wants, and that 
He knows far better than we what 
will be for our highest good. Spir- 
itually, therefore, we should be 
passive, whereas bodily we should 



88 



1Ra£6 ot 



generally be active, and put into 
immediate practice the truths we 
have silently been taught. 

June 8. 

For the love of Christ constrain- 
eth us. — II. Cor. v. 14. 

You may argue with a stubborn 
person from morning till night, and 
yet not be any nearer convincing 
him than when you started. The 
one sure conqueror is Love. No 
obstinacy can, in the long run, 
withstand its v/onderful power. 

June 9. 

God is not a man, that he should 
lie; neither the son of man, that he 
should repent: hath he said, and 
shall he not do it ? or hath he 
spoken, and shall he not make it 
good? — Numbers xxiii. 19. 

We often make God in our own 
image, and because we are so 
changeable, we imagine (perhaps 
unwittingly) that He also must be. 



Sunsbtne. 



3 9 



It is very hard for the finite to com- 
prehend the Infinite; yet, in spite 
of our human weaknesses, we 
should take great care not to criti- 
cise God's actions from an earthly 
standpoint. 

June 10. 

And thine ears shall hear a word 
behind thee, saying, This is the 
way, walk ye in it, when ye turn 
to the right hand, and when ye 
turn to the left. — Isa. xxx. 21. 

There are times in our lives when 
we are so upset with conflicting 
ideas, that it seems impossible to 
know which way to turn. It is 
then that we long for the voice 
saying to us, "This is the way, 
walk ye in it." If we are deeply 
in earnest, there is no reason why 
we should not realize our longing. 

June 11. 

Ye sorrowed after a godly sort, 
what carefulness it wrought in 



go tRa£6 ot 



you, yea, what clearing of your- 
selves. — II. Cor. vii. 1 1. 

If housekeepers have regular days 
for sweeping their rooms, why do 
not individuals have stated seasons 
for removing the dust and cobwebs 
from their spiritual apartments ? 
This oversight is due either to 
thoughtlessness or willful laziness. 
See that in the future it does not 
occur again! 

June 12. 

This people draw near me with 
their mouth, and with their lips 
do honor me, but have removed 
their heart far from me. — Isa. 
xxix. 13. 

When the heart has been severed 
from the lips, a man may pray 
from morning until night, and yet 
not be any the better for it. By 
constantly using beautiful words 
without a thought as to their mean- 
ing, he will find, some day when 
he really needs them, that through 



Sunebine* 



91 



vain repetition their true value has 
been destroyed. 

June 13. 

Therefore, if any man be in 
Christ, he is a new creature: old 
things are passed away; behold, 
all things are become new. — II. Cor. 
v. 17. 

The love of Christ is the most 
transforming power in the whole 
world. When it once takes pos- 
session of a man, it changes him 
into a new creature. His horizon 
is broadened to such an extent, that 
he no longer gives undue import- 
ance to trifles, but tries to fill the 
.wider sphere which has opened 
before him. 

June 14. 

The stone which the builders 
rejected, the same is become the 
head of the corner: this is the 
Lord's doing, and it is marvelous 
in our eyes. — St. Matt. xxi. 42. 



92 IRa^s of 



It is a glorious thing to know 
that we can each supply the stones 
for the great building of which 
Jesus Christ is the chief corner- 
stone. It unites us all in one great 
circle of fellowship, and makes us 
feel our interdependence, and, 
above all, our need of Christ. 

June 15. 

I will seek out my sheep, and 
will deliver them out of all places 
where they have been scattered in 
the cloudy and dark day. — Ezekiel 
xxxiv. 12. 

The figure of the Good Shepherd 
watching over his flock is to be 
found all through the Bible. And 
what could more fittingly repre- 
sent the loving and tender care 
that God shows for His children, 
and His unwillingness that any of 
them should be lost! 

June 16. 

What glory is it, if, when ye be 
buffeted for your faults, ye shall 



Sunshine. 



93 



take it patiently ? But if, when ye 
do well and suffer for it, ye take it 
patiently, this is acceptable with 
God. — I. Peter ii. 20. 

A great test of character is to be 
patient when unjustly accused, and 
not answer back harshly. Circum- 
stances may be such that, at the 
time being, you cannot explain and 
prove your perfect innocence; the 
knowledge of it, however, should 
give you strength to hold your 
own, even in the silence. 

June 17. 

The ornament of a meek and 
quiet spirit, which is, in the sight of 
God, of great price. — I. Peter iii. 4. 

One especially appreciates a quiet, 
reposeful person, after having been 
for any length of time with some 
one full of untiring energy and in a 
state of constant bustle. It is a 
great thing to have one's self so 
under control that, when neces- 



94 



IRags of 



sary, one can assume this calm, 
helpful attitude towards others. 

June 18. 

Every valley shall be filled, and 
every mountain and hill shall be 
brought low; and the crooked shall 
be made straight, and the rough 
ways shall be made smooth. — 
St. Luke iii. 5. 

The difficult task for us is to be 
willing to wait patiently for that 
time when things will right them- 
selves. We are too anxious to take 
matters in our own hands, instead 
of leaving them to the great Lev- 
eler, who alone knows what val- 
leys should be filled, and what 
mountains should be brought low. 

June 19. 

The voice of him that crieth in 
the wilderness, Prepare ye the way 
of the Lord, make straight in the 
desert a highway for our God. — 
Isa. xl. 3. 



Suneblne* 95 



It is not given to every man to 
be a great leader or reformer, but 
each one can do his share in pre- 
paring the way for somebody else. 
It has been wisely said that it takes 
all kinds to make a world. With- 
out variety, there would be no real 
unity. Do, therefore, your part of 
the work, and trust God for the 
rest. 

June 20. 

And 1 will bring the blind by a 
way that they knew not; I will 
lead them in paths that they have 
not known : I will make darkness 
light before them, and crooked 
things straight. These things will 
I do unto them, and not forsake 
them. — Isa. xlii. 16. 

To those who are blindly grop- 
ing in the darkness of a great sor- 
row, how full of comfort these 
words must sound! Try, dear 
friend, to see the light piercing the 
black clouds, and let that light lead 



96 IRags of 



you upward and onward to the 
throne of God. 

June 21. 

Behold, how good and how 
pleasant it is for brethren to dwell 
together in unity. — Psa. cxxxiii. i. 

Nothing is so oppressive as an 
atmosphere of discord, where there 
is continual fault-finding and end- 
less complaining; and nothing is 
more inspiring than an atmosphere 
of harmony, where every one tries 
to see the good in his neighbor, 
and where all quarrelsome and 
disagreeable subjects are carefully 
avoided. 

June 22. 

Thine eyes shall see the king in 
his beauty; they shall behold the 
land that is very far off. — Isa. 
xxxiii. 17. 

The inner vision of some people 
is so keen that they are able to see 
things which are veiled to others. 



Sunsbine* 



97 



Their faces reflect, in a measure, 
the King's beauty, and from their 
life is emanated a power which 
is at once inspiring as well as 
strengthening. 

June 23. 

She openeth her mouth with wis- 
dom, and in her tongue is the law 
of kindness. — Prov. xxxi. 26. 

There are in this world a few 
rare souls who seem incapable of 
even thinking evil of others. They 
are always ready to give a man 
accused of wrong-doing the benefit 
of the doubt, and although they 
may far from approve of his actions, 
they will never pass a sentence 
of condemnation on any living 
creature. 

June 24. 

Be still, and know that I am God : 
I will be exalted among the heathen, 
I will be exalted in the earth. — Psa. 
xlvi. 10. 



93 IRa^s of 



Although the cause of evil may, 
for a time, seem to prosper, yet all 
the while good is silently working 
its way along, and in the end, be- 
cause of its strength and unremit- 
ting perseverance, it must triumph. 
When you are feeling cast down, 
try to realize that, in very truth, 
God is your Father, and that this 
whole world belongs to Him. 

June 25, 

It is hard for thee to kick against 
the pricks. . . . Rise, and 
stand upon thy feet. — Acts xxvi. 
14, 16. 

Instead of enlarging on the cru- 
elty of fate and the unfairness of 
Providence in letting so many 
hardships and sorrows come into 
your life, stand up on your feet like 
a man, and bravely face the future, 
using your disappointments as 
helps to the attainment of a higher 
and more influential life. 



Sunshine. 



99 



June 26. 

Two are better than one, because 
they have a good reward for their 
labour. — Eccl. iv. 9. 

It is impossible for a single per- 
son to combine all the qualities 
necessary for carrying on a great 
work. If he can join forces with 
a kindred spirit, whose character 
supplies his deficiencies, the result 
of their combined labor will be 
much more far-reaching than it 
could otherwise be. Peter and 
John are good examples of men 
who possessed complementary 
virtues. 

June 27. 

Then said I, Ah, Lord God! be- 
hold: I cannot speak, for I am a 
child. But the Lord said unto me, 
Say not, I am a child : for thou shalt 
go to all that I shall send thee, and 
whatsoever I command thee thou 
shalt speak. — Jer. i. 6, 7. 



ioo IRa^S of 



When God entrusts us with a 
mission, we need not worry over 
our weakness and shortcomings, 
because He has promised to give 
us the needed guidance, and will 
put into our mouths the words He 
would have us say. Those only 
fail who rely on their own strength, 
and think themselves all-sufficient. 

June 28. 

The temple of God is holy, 
which temple ye are. — I. Cor. 
iii. 17. 

We should be holy and without 
blame before him in love. — Eph. 
i. 4. 

To present you holy and un- 
blameable and unreproveable in 
his sight. — Col. i. 22. 

As he which hath called you is 
holy, so be ye holy in all manner 
of conversation ; Because it is writ- 



Sunebfne, 101 



ten, Be ye holy; for I am holy. — 
I. Peter i. 15, 16. 

We are not miserable worms, 
like some of our hymns take pains 
to tell us. No! We are made in 
God's wonderful image, and we 
have received, as His children, the 
heritage of holiness. Let us dwell 
more on our divine birthright, and 
live more worthily because of our 
glorious privileges. 

June 29. 

He will swallow up death in vic- 
tory; and the Lord God will wipe 
away tears from off all faces. — Isa. 
xxv. 8. 

When you feel as if you must 
succumb to the enemy Despair, 
remember that Jesus Christ has 
trodden the hard path of suffering 
before you, and because He has 
conquered, He will make you vic- 
torious, and empower you with a 
strength before which all the forces 



io2 IRa^s of 



of evil must retreat. Take courage, 
dear friend, and believe that your 
Master will not fail you. 

June 30. 

By love serve one another. — GaL 
v. 13. 

He who knows himself best, 
thinks of himself least. The man 
who constantly analyzes his mo- 
tives and feelings, ends in distrust- 
ing them, and finally finds himself 
in such a labyrinth that it is impos- 
sible to get out. The best way for 
a man to discover himself, is to put 
his thoughts into immediate action. 

July 1. 

Be watchful, and strengthen the 
things which remain, that are ready 
to die: for 1 have not found thy 
works perfect before God. — Rev. 
iii. 2. 

It is much harder to put new life 
into a work which has run down, 
than to start a new work alto- 



Bnnebine. 



103 



gether. But for that very reason 
one should make a special effort, 
and strive with all one's might to 
bring success out of apparent fail- 
ure. Even if the world does not 
give you credit for the difficult 
task, be sure you have God's ap- 
proval. 

July 2. 

Therefore all things whatsoever 
ye would that men should do to 
you, do ye even so to them. — 
St. Matt. vii. 12. 

Men often obey the letter of the 
Golden Rule, but by no means its 
spirit. Just as we would rather 
have others think well of us, so 
we should try to eradicate all evil 
and unjust thoughts about them 
from our hearts. In this way our 
actions will be sincere, because 
they will have a truthful back- 
ground. 

July 3. 

These are murmurers, complain- 
ers, . . . and their mouth speak- 



104 1Ra£6 of 



eth great, swelling words, having 
men's persons in admiration be- 
cause of advantage. — Jude i. 16. 

There are some people to whom, 
unfortunately, it is second nature to 
find fault with everybody and ev- 
erything. If they can gain any 
advantage by it, they will be civil 
and flattering in your presence, but 
when your back is turned, they 
will say all the disagreeable things 
they can think of. 

July 4. 

Little children, abide in him ; that, 
when he shall appear, we may 
have confidence, and not be 
ashamed before him at his coming. 
— I. John ii. 28. 

By placing absolute confidence 
in the Saviour, and relying on His 
guidance in every step of our life, 
we will never be afraid of what the 
future may have in store, for we 
have the full assurance of His never- 



Sunsbine* 105 



failing care, and know that He will 
prepare us for the future. 

July 5. 

He is near that justifieth me ; who 
will contend with me ? — Isa. 1. 8. 

The nearness of God's presence 
alone helps us to bear the hurt 
which a false accusation brings us. 
Our first desire often is to answer 
back sharply, and tell the accuser 
in plain words what we think of 
him. But on second thought we 
judge it wiser to show by our 
actions that we are innocent, as 
they are more convincing than any 
amount of argument. 

July 6. 

The Lord is good to all: and his 
tender mercies are over all his 
works. — Psa. cxlv. 9. 

There are people who seem to 
think that God is very partial — 
showering benefits on some, and 
sending disasters to others. No, 



io6 iRass of 



indeed! God loves us all equally, 
but He sees that each one of our 
characters must be developed by a 
different method; to some, Joy is 
sent as a teacher; while others can 
only learn the lesson of life through 
the great educator, Pain. 

July 7. 

Jesus went unto the Mount of 
Olives. And early in the morning 
he came again into the temple, and 
all the people came unto him; and 
he sat down, and taught them. — St. 
John viii. i, 2. 

Jesus never undertook to teach 
the people without first preparing 
Himself by spending the night in 
silent prayer. This is the secret of 
His wonderful, unfailing power. 
He was able to put Himself so in 
touch with His hearers, that He 
knew at once what things they 
most needed, and always minis- 
tered to their wants. 



Sunablne* 107 



July 8. 

And Abram said unto Lot, Let 
there be no strife, I pray thee, be- 
tween me and thee. ... Is not 
the whole land before thee ? sepa- 
rate thyself, I pray thee, from mer 
if thou wilt take the left hand, then 
I will go to the right; or if thou de- 
part to the right hand, then I will 
go to the left. — Gen. xiii. 8, 9. 

When we propose making a sac- 
rifice, our voices are so apt to be- 
tray the bent of our inclinations, 
that the offer is generally refused, 
the other person not being willing 
to accept a gift which has appar- 
ently caused us such an effort to 
relinquish. 

July 9. 

If thy brother shall trespass 
against thee, go and tell him his 
fault between thee and him alone. 
— St. Matt, xviii. 15. 



io8 Ot 



An immense amount of harm is 
sometimes done by reproving a 
friend in the presence of others. A 
person is much more likely to 
profit by your advice if you give it 
confidentially, and in a spirit of 
loving interest, than if you just 
pick him to pieces in a fault- 
finding way, regardless of the 
place and the manner of your 
rebuke. 

July 10. 

For so is the will of God, that 
with well doing ye may put to 
silence the ignorance of foolish 
men. — I. Peter ii. 15. 

A living, tangible action is the 
only sure proof that will convince 
an ignorant man of his folly. 
Preaching to him is absolutely use- 
less, unless accompanied with solid 
practice, because his untrained 
mind cannot grasp a truth until he 
sees it realized before him. 



Sunsbine* 109 



July 11. 

And he said unto me, Son of 
man, stand upon thy feet, and I 
will speak unto thee. — Ezekiel ii. 1. 

There are in the world some lazy 
people who profess to be Christians, 
but when the time comes for action, 
they invariably procrastinate, and 
make some lame kind of excuse. 
He who would hear God's voice, 
and carry out His wishes, must 
stand upon his feet and show him- 
self to be a willing messenger. 

July 12. 

Take heed to thyself, and keep 
thy soul diligently, lest thou forget 
the things which thine eyes have 
seen, and lest they depart from thy 
heart all the days of thy life. — 
Deut. iv. 9. 

Just as we are liable to forget the 
lessons learned in our childhood, 
so, when a great sorrow comes, 
we fail to remember the many 



no •ftaES of 



blessings God has previously show- 
ered upon us, and for the time be- 
ing allow ourselves merely to dwell 
on the darkness of our despair. 

July 13. 

For we are made partakers of 
Christ, if we hold the beginning of 
our confidence steadfast unto the 
end. — Heb. iii. 14. 

There are ups and downs in the 
spiritual life as well as in the busi- 
ness life, but there is a vast differ- 
ence between the soul's king and 
the world's king. Christ is so lov- 
ing a Master, that He never leaves 
us bankrupt for long, but sends us, 
in some unexpected way, a new 
store of riches, to enable us to start 
again with fresh courage. 

July 14. 

The letter killeth, but the spirit 
giveth life. — II. Cor. iii. 6. 

It is the spirit of a message that 
we should be most eager to dis- 



Sunsbine* 



in 



cover. The words in which it is 
clothed are but of secondary im- 
portance, and should be thus 
viewed. In studying the Bible, be 
careful to read the different passages 
with their contexts. These some- 
times modify a verse to such an 
extent that the truth is seen in an 
entirely new aspect. 

July 15. 

Not by might, nor by power, 
but by my spirit, saith the Lord of 
hosts. — Zech. iv. 6. 

The battle is no longer to the one 
who is strongest physically, but to 
him who has the greatest spiritual 
strength. People are beginning to 
realize more and more the supreme 
importance of spirit, and that the 
body is but its outward expression, 
and derives from it all its force and 
beauty. 

July 16. 

Arise, shine; for thy light is 



n2 IRags of 



come, and the glory of the Lord is 
risen upon thee. — Isa. lx. i. 

We are given light in order that 
we may show it forth. If we con- 
tinue letting it strike inwards, it 
will either burn us up, or else go 
out because it has not enough 
draught. Then, too, it is selfish to 
keep all our happiness to ourselves ; 
we should long to make others sun 
themselves in its glow. 

July 17. 

A new heart also will I give you, 
and a new spirit will I put within 
you; and I will take away the 
stony heart out of your flesh, and I 
will give you a heart of flesh. — 
Ez. xxxvi. 26. 

After trying in vain to melt a 
man's heart, we finally give up in 
despair, and feel it is of no use. 
God alone can work that miracle, 
and He does it with the irresistible 
force of His mighty love, which 



Sunsbtne, 113 



alone can sweep all barriers be- 
fore it. 

July 18, 

Remember ye not the former 
things, neither consider the things 
of old. — Isa. xliii. 18. 

The well-balanced person is one 
who knows how to discern be- 
tween the things to be forgotten 
and the things to be remembered. 
It is quite as harmful to cherish the 
memory of a wrong, as to forget an 
act of kindness. To efface the 
thought of evil from our minds, 
requires often great determination, 
and can only be done by a truly 
noble soul. 

July 19. 

Go thy way for this time; when 
I have a convenient season, I will 
call for thee. — Acts xxiv. 25. 

That " procrastination is the thief 
of time" we must all admit. Yet, 
in spite of this knowledge, we con- 
tinue putting things off from day to 



H4 *Ka£S of 



day, until suddenly we see the 
fearful words, "Too late," staring 
at us from the tomb of our lost op- 
portunity. 

July 20. 

The King's daughter is all glo- 
rious within: her clothing is of 
wrought gold. — Psa. xlv. 13. 

All those who have acknowl- 
edged Christ as their Master, and 
are striving to follow out His 
wishes, are sons and daughters of 
the King. With the banner of love 
floating over them, they should 
always seek to be considerate of 
each other, and hold out a helping 
hand to those in distress. By so 
doing, they will be better prepared 
for entering the King's palace. 

July 21. 

The way of the slothful man is 
as an hedge of thorns : but the way 
of the righteous is made plain. — 
Prov. xv. 19. 



Sunshine. 115 



The man who has indifferent 
ideas of truthfulness and honesty 
finds it a thousand times harder to 
settle a difficult question when it 
arises, than the man whose habit it 
is to do everything in a straightfor- 
ward and conscientious way. Cri- 
ses are sure to determine the ex- 
tent of a man's character. 

July 22. 

Yea, I think it meet, as long as I 
am in this tabernacle, to stir you 
up by putting you in remembrance. 
— II. Peter i. 13. 

There are some well-meaning 
people who just fail to put their in- 
tentions into practice because no 
one is there to spur them on. As 
long as they have constant digs and 
pushes (which are, alas! rather 
wearisome for the diggers and 
pushers), they go all right, but 
without these, they are content 
to plod along in a rut, doing 
nothing. 



n6 IRays of 



July 23. 

And the light shineth in dark- 
ness; and the darkness compre- 
hended it not. — St. John i. 5. 

If Jesus Christ had gone on the 
principle, " only give light when 
you are sure it will be appreciated/' 
we would never have the record of 
His many acts of mercy and His 
many words of love. No, He felt 
that if His hearers were not able to 
understand Him then, later on the 
scales would fall from their eyes. 
In the meantime it was His mission 
to prepare the way for that coming 
light. 

July 24. 

Thou hast made [man] a little 
lower than the angels, and hast 
crowned him with glory and honor. 
Thou madest him to have dominion 
over the works of thy hands; thou 
hast put all things under his feet. — 
Psa. viii., 5, 6. 



Sunshine. 



117 



If we dwell at all on our divine 
heritage, we must in time realize, to 
a certain extent, the greatness of 
the power which God has conferred 
on us. And realizing it, our lives 
ought to be inspired to wider use- 
fulness, and a more complete con- 
secration. 

July 25. 

I know that my Redeemer liveth, 
and that he shall stand at the latter 
day upon the earth. — Job xix. 25. 

The assurance of the living near- 
ness of the divine presence is what 
alone brings comfort when all else 
seems to fail. It is in sorrow that 
Christ's infinite tenderness and 
sympathy appeal to us most 
strongly. Then we love to think 
of His humanity, and feel that He 
understands all the extent of our 
suffering. 

July 26. 

The Lord also will be a refuge 
for the oppressed, a refuge in times 
of trouble. — Psa. ix. 9. 



us l^ass of 



The dear Heavenly Father knows 
so well the needs of His children, 
that before we even ask Him, He is 
already sending us a supply. Count 
over the number of comfort verses 
in the Bible, and you will be aston- 
ished to find how many there are, 
and how wonderfully they minister 
to every want. 

July 27. 

Therefore the redeemed of the 
Lord shall return, and come with 
singing unto Zion ; and everlasting 
joy shall be upon their head: they 
shall obtain gladness and joy; and 
sorrow and mourning shall flee 
away. — Isa. li. 1 1. 

A person's expression is the 
reflection of his soul's growth. If 
happiness is not inborn, one should 
seek to develop it, because it is 
one of the most useful elements in 
life, and often produces far-reaching 
results. Nothing is more conta- 
gious than an atmosphere of joy. 



Sunshine. 



119 



July 28. 

He that is slow to anger is better 
than the mighty; and he that 
ruleth his spirit than he that taketh 
a city. — Prov. xvi. 32. 

A man who, instead of governing 
his temper, is governed by it, ends 
by setting his whole nature so out 
of tune that it is no longer possible 
for him to do anything great and 
influential. He comes to think that 
the world is made for his conven- 
ience, and that he is lord of all that 
he surveys. 

July 29. 

The Lord is nigh unto all them 
that call upon him, to all that call 
upon him in truth. — Psa. cxlv. 18. 

Sometimes, because our prayers 
are not answered right away, we 
think they have not been heard. 
Why, dear friend, God knows 
what we want even before we ask 
Him, and be sure that if your re- 
quest has not yet been granted, 



120 



IRags of 



there is some good reason for His 
withholding it, and that even now 
your prayer is being answered in 
some way you least expect. 

July 30. 

They bind heavy burdens, and 
grievous to be borne, and lay 
them on men's shoulders, but they 
themselves will not move them 
with one of their fingers. — St. Matt, 
xxiii. 4. 

It is all very easy for a theoretical 
person to plan out another's work 
for him, then criticise him if he does 
not do it properly. If he himself 
is not a man of action, his words 
will go for nothing, and all his 
high-sounding, good advice will 
have been utterly void of lasting 
results. 

July 31. 

If thy hand offend thee, cut it 
off : it is better for thee to enter 



Sunsbine* 



121 



into life maimed, than, having two 
hands, to go into hell. — St. Mark 
ix. 43. 

There are some habits, such as 
drinking, which can only be cured 
by a man's giving it up entirely. 
In such cases moderation seems im- 
possible, and almost always results 
in a relapse. It is well worth while 
to cut off the unruly member, and 
the man who makes the sacrifice 
will never live to regret it. 

August 1. 

Lord, how oft shall my brother 
sin against me, and I forgive him ? 
till seven times ? Jesus saith unto 
him, I say not unto thee, Until 
seven times: but, Until sev- 
enty times seven. — St. Matt, xviii. 

21, 22. 

People forgive as long as it re- 
quires no effort on their part. As 
soon, however, as their affection 
or pride is hurt then it becomes a 



i22 IRa^s ot 



different matter, and their impulse 
is to shut out the offender from 
their hearts and let him work out 
his sin by himself. Forgiveness 
far oftener leads to repentance than 
coldness and scorn. 

August 2. 

Which of you, intending to build 
a tower, sitteth not down first, and 
counteth the cost, whether he have 
sufficient to finish it ? — St. Luke 
xiv. 28. 

There are some impulsive natures 
who, the minute they get hold of 
a new idea, rush right ahead with- 
out at first weighing its worth. 
The result is, they either find that 
their rashness has done a great 
deal of harm, or else they suddenly 
come to a standstill; in both which 
cases they are doomed to dis- 
appointment. 

August 3. 

What be these two olive branches, 
which through the two golden 



Sunsblne* 



123 



pipes empty the golden oil out of 
themselves? These are the two 
anointed ones, that stand by the 
Lord of the whole earth. — Zech. 
iv. 12, 14. 

Throughout the Bible oil is a 
symbol of the Holy Spirit. Just as 
we require fresh supplies every 
day, let us in turn be channels 
through which strength and com- 
fort can flow out to our friends. 
Let us not be chary in giving out 
of ourselves. The more we dis- 
pense, the better ready are we to 
receive a new outpouring of the 
Holy Spirit. 

August 4. 

Fear none of those things which 
thou shalt suffer .... be thou 
faithful unto death, and I will give 
thee a crown of life. — Rev. ii. 10. 

The reward of faithful service 
will not only come in the hereafter, 
but you will experience it here in 



i24 IRage of 



a widened sympathy and in a 
greater power of understanding 
the joys and sorrows of others. 
The spiritual joy of feeling that you 
can be of use to others is far greater 
than any material benefit you might 
receive. 

August 5. 

Ye judge after the flesh ; I judge 
no man. — St. John viii. 15. 

There is a difference between 
forming an opinion of a man and 
passing sentence upon him. In 
order to know what people we 
should associate with, we must 
learn to distinguish between good 
instincts and bad ones. It is right 
for us to condemn the offence, but 
then we should have pity for the 
offender. In so doing, we will be 
following in the footsteps of Jesus. 

August 6. 

The Lord God hath given me the 
tongue of the learned, that I should 



Sunshine. 



125 



know how to speak a word in 
season to him that is weary. — Isa. 

1. 4 . 

It is a rare gift to be able to put 
yourself so in harmony with the 
person you are with, that you will 
instinctively know just the right 
word to say and how to say it. 
In order to have this power you 
must cultivate a calm restfulness, 
which is the best preparation for a 
sympathetic intercourse. 

August 7. 

The darkness is past, and the 
true light now shineth. — I. John 
ii. 8. 

The sunlight is all the more 
luminous when seen against a dark 
background of clouds. 

Nearly everything in life gains 
new beauty and power through 
contrast with something less beau- 
tiful. Therefore, we should not 
murmur at shadows, but seek to 



126 IRa^S of 



make the coming light the more 
brilliant just because of them. 

August 8. 

Him that overcometh will I make 
a pillar in the temple of my God. . . 
and I will write upon him my new 
name. — Rev. iii. 12. 

The pillars of a church or society 
are the men and women who do 
all the work, and to whom every 
one comes in every emergency. 
As a rule they are terribly imposed 
upon, and often end in becoming 
physical wrecks. There is such a 
thing as religious dissipation, and 
all enthusiasts should be on their 
guard against falling into it. 

August 9. 

How beautiful upon the moun- 
tains are the feet of him that bring- 
eth good tidings, that publisheth 
peace. — Isa. Hi. 7. 



Sunsbfne* 127 



If you know that the telling of 
some experience or the unfolding 
of some truth will make another 
heart glad, don't keep back the 
good news through reticence or 
from a fear that others will not 
understand you. The main thing 
is to do your duty ; God will take 
care of the rest. 

August 10. 

The wise took oil in their ves- 
sels with their lamps. — St. Matt, 
xxv. 4. 

A reserve supply of character is 
absolutely essential to one who 
would be prepared to meet an 
emergency. Testing times are apt 
to come so unexpectedly and in 
such different ways from which 
we anticipated, that unless a man 
has been armed beforehand for the 
conflict, he will more than likely 
fail. 

August 11. 

My times are in thy hand. — Psa. 
xxxi. 15. 



i28 IRags of 



When a man takes his life into 
his own hands and grows reckless 
and daring, regardless of laws and 
principles, sooner or later he is sure 
to reap a bitter harvest. On the 
other hand, a man who lets him- 
self be governed by a higher Power 
feels himself secure, no matter how 
dark and unpromising present cir- 
cumstances may appear. 

August 12. 

For the flesh lusteth against the 
Spirit, and the Spirit against the 
flesh: and these are contrary the 
one to the other; so that ye cannot 
do the things that ye would. — Gal. 
v. 17. 

The worst conflicts a man goes 
through are with himself. Mate- 
rial interests keep cropping up 
in most unexpected ways, and 
unless they are at once taken in 
hand they soon become unmanage- 
able and ride over his whole nature, 



Sunsbine* 129 



so that he no longer has the power 
to do those things which he knows 
to be his duty. 

August 13. 

He is despised and rejected of 
men ; a man of sorrows, and ac- 
quainted with grief: and we hid as 
it were our faces from him; he 
was despised, and we esteemed 
him not. — Isa. liii. 3. 

There are times when you hear 
men say, "It is impossible that 
Christ should have ever had this 
temptation which has come to me. " 
Yet think for a moment! Was He 
not the man of sorrows, and in His 
all-abounding sympathy did He not 
endure every possible pain that can 
come to any one? 

August 14. 

Father, I will that they also, 
whom thou hast given me, be 
with me where I am, that they 



i3o IRags of 



may behold my glory, which thou 
hast given me: for thou lovedst 
me before the foundation of the 
world. — St. John xvii. 24. 

If a great joy has come into our 
lives we long to have our dear 
ones share it with us. By so do- 
ing we often increase the joy a 
thousandfold. A person who is 
entirely selfish in his happiness 
loses more than he has any idea of, 
and narrows his interests down 
into a little world of his own. 

August 15. 

O send out thy light and thy 
truth: let them lead me; let them 
bring me unto thy holy hill, and to 
thy tabernacles. — Psa. xliii. 3. 

When difficult questions arise, 
with what a longing do we crave 
for light and wisdom! Anything, 
anything, if only the way could be 
made clear before us, and we could 
be sure that there was no fear of 



131 



making a mistake. At such critical 
times, what we need most is a 
quiet, unwavering trust, which 
helps us to leave the unknown 
future in God's hands. 

August 16. 

For the builders, every one had 
his sword girded by his side, and 
so builded. And he that sounded 
the trumpet was by me. — Neh. iv. 
18. 

While waiting for some expected 
event to take place, let us perform 
faithfully the duties that come by 
the way, and not sit with hands 
listlessly folded doing nothing. By 
working we will be preparing our- 
selves for a better appreciation of 
the anticipated blessing. 

August 17. 

For the earth bringeth forth fruit 
of herself; first the blade, then the 



132 IRags of 



ear, after that the full corn in the 
ear. — St. Mark iv. 28. 

It is difficult sometimes to realize 
that there is a natural law in the 
spiritual as well as in the material 
world. We expect to make great 
jumps in our growth, and then we 
become discouraged to see how far 
short of the mark we have fallen. 
The progress, very likely, is scarcely 
perceptible, but as long as it is 
progress we should be thankful for 
that, and let it serve to inspire us 
to renewed effort. 

August 18. 

Inasmuch as ye have done it unto 
one of the least of these my breth- 
ren, ye have done it unto me. — 
St. Matt. xxv. 40. 

How a small act becomes at once 
glorified when we realize that the 
Master takes it as done to Himself ! 
It makes little difference then if the 
sacrifice we have made is not ap- 
preciated by the recipient, for does 



Sixmbine. 133 



not Jesus Christ know all about it? 
He will give us the joy and peace 
which come to those who are 
striving to follow in His foot- 
steps. 

August 19. 

The cup which my Father hath 
given me, shall I not drink it? — 
St. John xviii. 1 1. 

The more we rebel against sor- 
row, the more firmly does it take 
hold of us. Sorrow generally pro- 
duces extreme results: it either 
embitters a man's whole nature, or 
else it wonderfully sweetens it. 
Each man must fight out his own 
battles, but let him see to it that 
he comes out on the right side, 
strengthened by the conflict. 

August 20. 

I have set watchmen upon thy 
walls, O Jerusalem, which shall 
never hold their peace day nor 
night: ye that make mention of 



i34 IRa^s of 



the Lord, keep not silence. — Isa. 
lxii. 6. 

It is a man's duty, as well as 
privilege, to warn his fellowmen 
at the approach of danger; all the 
more so if he has experienced the 
same danger himself and knows 
how disastrous the consequences 
are in being taken by surprise. 
It is often just as criminal to 
keep silence as to tell a downright 
lie. 

August 21. 

Evil men understand not judg- 
ment: but they that seek the Lord 
understand all things. — Prov. 
xxviii. 5. 

People who continually pride 
themselves on their good judgment 
and clear understanding are many 
a time found wanting in their sup- 
posed strong points. The man 
who talks least of his knowledge 
and goes quietly ahead performing 
his duties is far less likely to make 



Sunsbine, 



135 



mistakes than the man who spends 
his time in bragging about his 
accomplishments. 

August 22. 

For thus saith the Lord, Behold, 
I will extend peace to her like a 
river. . . As one whom his mother 
comforteth, so will I comfort you. — 
Isa. Ixvi. 12, 13. 

Neither sorrow nor misfortune 
can harm one whose heart is filled 
with the peace which passeth all 
understanding. The steady cur- 
rent of peace carries all trouble 
dov/n the stream of life and de- 
posits it in the great ocean of 
oblivion. 

August 23. 

And when ye shall hear of wars 
and rumors of wars, be ye not 
troubled: for such things must 
needs be; but the end shall not be 
yet. — St. Mark xiii. 7. 



136 IRags of 



It is hard for a man to accept 
patiently repeated trials, and not 
question in his mind the love of 
the Almighty for allowing so many 
troubles to come. Before a new 
territory can be gained it must be 
fought for, and the fiercer the battle 
the more appreciated is the pos- 
session. Some men have more 
enemies to face than others, but 
let them not grudge the fight, 
but use it for acquiring fresh 
strength. 

August 24. 

When my soul fainted within 
me I remembered the Lord: and 
my prayer came in unto thee, into 
thine holy temple.— Jonah ii, 7. 

The command "Know thyself," 
is sometimes carried to such an 
extreme that men end in analyzing 
all their feelings and emotions, and 
thereby lose their spontaneity. 
Knowledge and action must go 
hand in hand, or introspection will 



Sunshine. 137 



lead a person into a terribly morbid 
state. 

August 25. 

One is your Master, even Christ; 
and all ye are brethren. — St. Matt, 
xxiii. 8. 

The belief will occasionally be 
found among children belonging to 
different churches that they worship 
another God from the one of their 
playmates. This shows how very 
necessary it is for parents not to 
enlarge on differences of creed, but 
to emphasize the strong bond of 
love to God and man which makes 
all the world akin. 

August 26. 

Watch ye therefore : for ye know 
not when the master of the house 
cometh, at even, or at midnight, 
or at the cockcrowing, or in the 
morning: lest coming suddenly he 
find you sleeping. And what I 



138 



IRa^s of 



say unto you I say unto all, Watch.— 
St. Mark xiii. 35, 37. 

It is strange how often the peo- 
ple we least expect to be taken are 
called away ! These sudden deaths 
should make us stop in our busy 
lives, and compel us to think more 
seriously of the great Beyond 
whither we are all bound. 

August 27. 

And Jacob called the name of 
the place where God spake with 
him, Bethel. — Gen. xxxv. is. 

We treasure up as our most 
sacred moments those times when 
we have felt God so near to us that 
we have seemed to hear His voice 
of tender love whispering to us. 
Did we only give ourselves more 
rest amid our manifold occupa- 
tions, we would doubtless hear 
Him speak far oftener. 

August 28. 

"Make to yourselves friends of 



SunsMne* 139 



the Mammon of unrighteousness, 
that when ye fail, they may receive 
you into everlasting habitations." 

When we have money entrusted 
to us, our wisest course is to spend 
it for helping others. From a 
worldly standpoint we will gain 
the gratitude of those we benefit, 
and be able to appeal to them 
when we are in trouble ourselves. 
Spiritually, our sympathies will be 
enlarged, and life will grow far 
richer in meaning. 

August 29. 

God resisteth the proud, and 
giveth grace to the humble. Hum- 
ble yourselves therefore under the 
mighty hand of God, that he may 
exalt you in due time. — I. Peter v. 

5,6. 

Humility does not consist in run- 
ning one's self down and constantly 
enlarging on one's weaknesses. 
Such conduct destroys self-reliance, 



140 IRa^s ot 



and reduces one to a negative piece 
of machinery. To be truly humble 
is to realize one's shortcomings in 
the light of God's perfection, and 
to determine in His strength to be- 
come strong. 

August 30. 

O man, who art thou that repli- 
est against God? Shall the thing 
formed say to him that formed it, 
Why hast thou made me thus? — 
Rom. ix. 20. 

When we compare ourselves 
with others who are far more in- 
teresting and attractive, it is hard 
not to get discontented and wish 
we had been made very differently. 
The great lesson we must learn is 
to make the best of ourselves as 
we are, and not as we might have 
been. In this way we may be 
able to transform our very faults 
into virtues. 

August 31. 

And the light shineth in dark- 



Sunebine* 141 



ness; and the darkness compre- 
hended it not. — St. John i. 5. 

How many silent unselfish lives 
there are who go through the 
world unnoticed and unappre- 
ciated! Their true worth is only 
recognized when they have been 
taken away; then people grow 
suddenly aware of the great gap 
that has been left and which it is 
impossible to fill. Alas! it is vain 
now to mourn over lost oppor- 
tunities which never can be re- 
called. 

September 1. 

O thou of little faith, wherefore 
didst thou doubt? — St. Matt. xiv. 

After the sun has burst through 
the clouds, and the sky is once 
more clear, we wonder how we 
could ever have doubted God's 
love and wisdom, even when ev- 
erything looked dark and dreary. 
At such times the blessings He sud- 



142 TRa^s of 



denly showers on us seem so un- 
deserved, that we almost hesitate 
in appropriating them, and when 
we do, we feel all the more un- 
grateful for having allowed feelings 
of distrust to enter our hearts. 

September 2, 

Behold, these three years I come 
seeking fruit on this fig tree, and 
find none: cut it down; why cum- 
bereth it the ground? — St. Luke 
xiii. 7. 

We see some lives full of rare 
promise, and we daily expect to 
hear of a great work they have 
achieved; but, alas! we wait in 
vain. They are content to live on 
the merit of undeveloped possibili- 
ties, and they never make the su- 
preme effort which is required to 
call their talents forth into definite 
shape. 

September 3. 

Only fear the Lord, and serve 
him in truth with all your heart: 



Stmsbine. 



143 



for consider how great things he 
hath done for you. — I. Sam. xii. 24. 

Do you ever pause in your busy 
life to think over the countless 
blessings God has showered upon 
you, or do you take them all as a 
matter of course, and forget to 
thank Him with all your heart for 
His great goodness ? Nothing en- 
riches the soul like gratitude, and 
nothing shrivels it up like ingrati- 
tude. Won't you adopt this very 
day the enriching method ? 

September 4. 

And again he said, Whereunto 
shall I liken the kingdom of God ? 
It is like leaven, which a woman 
took and hid in three measures of 
meal, till the whole was leavened. 
— St. Luke xiii. 20, 2 1 . 

When men who have been weak 
and wayward are urged to reform, 
they answer: " But it's no use try- 
ing, I know I should only fail." If 
only they would decide to take 



144 



IRags of 



themselves in hand, and face each 
fault separately, they would be sur- 
prised to see how quickly a little 
leaven of goodness will help in 
leavening the whole lump. 

September 5, 

Whatsoever he saith unto you, 
do it. — St. John ii. 5. 

If you feel that you have a dis- 
tinct call from God to undertake 
a difficult work, go ahead armed 
in His strength, and strive to fulfill 
your mission. Obstacles seen from 
afar may look insurmountable, but 
when you approach them, you will 
suddenly discover a gateway which 
will lead you into still wider fields 
of happiness and usefulness. 

September 6. 

We are labourers together with 
God: ye are God's husbandry, ye 
are God's building. — I Cor. iii. 9. 

To be a co-worker with God is 
the highest privilege to which a 



SunsMne* 145 



man can aspire. Is it not wonder- 
ful that God should choose such 
poor human tools to carry out His 
great purposes, and that He should 
be willing to trust them with such 
important responsibilities ? Let 
them see to it that they fail not in 
their trust. 

September 7. 

I said in mine heart, Go to now, 
I will prove thee with mirth ; there- 
fore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, 
this also is vanity. — Eccl. ii. 1. 

Some men, after experiencing a 
series of disappointments, feel that 
the only way to forget themselves 
is to plunge into the wild whirl- 
pool of excitement. For a time 
this course may seem to work 
fairly well, but all unconsciously 
the heart-void is daily growing 
wider, and demanding something 
more substantial than pleasure to 
feed it. Do not mistake this soul 
hunger, but satisfy it with the 
bread of life. 



146 IRa^s of 



September 8. 

The grave cannot praise thee, 
death cannot celebrate thee. . . . 
The living, the living, he shall 
praise thee, as I do this day. — Isa. 
xxxviii. 1 8, 19. 

"Some day" generally means 
"no day." If you ever intend to 
make anything out of your life, be- 
gin this very moment! Time is 
running its course, and no amount 
of laziness or procrastination on 
your part will serve to stop its 
swiftly - revolving wheels. The 
future will only be yours if you 
are faithful in your use of the 
present. 

September 9i 

Nathanael said unto him, Can 
there any good thing come out of 
Nazareth ? Philip saith unto him, 
Come and see. — St. John i. 46. 

Some people are born with in- 
credulous minds; they seem incap- 



Sunshine. 147 



able of believing anything unless 
they can prove the reality of its ex- 
istence with their own eyes. Alas, 
there are things in life which no 
amount of seeing can explain! It 
would be well for them if they 
could learn to appreciate that fact 
now, before they find themselves 
plunged in the darkness of despair. 

September 10. 

Then said David to the Philistine, 
Thou comest to me with a sword, 
and with a spear, and with a 
shield: but I come to thee in the 
name of the Lord of hosts, the God 
of the armies of Israel, whom thou 
hast defied. — I. Sam. xvii. 45. 

Our worldly enemies rely largely 
on their physical force to frighten 
us into a surrender. Let us not be 
deceived by this outward show, 
but prove our courage by going 
forth to the battle armed with th e 
shield of faith and the sword of th e 



148 IRa^s of 



spirit. No foe can long withstand 
these weapons, if we only wield 
them aright. 

September 11. 

The Lord shall preserve thy go- 
ing out and thy coming in from 
this time forth, and even for ever- 
more. — Psa. cxxi. 8. 

It is not necessary for you to 
worry about what is coming, be- 
cause as God has watched over 
you in the past, he has promised 
to take care of you in the future. 
As you gain new victories over 
temptations, you will also acquire 
an ever-increasing courage to meet 
fresh difficulties, and thus you will 
go on from strength to strength. 

September 12. 

And they shall come from the 
east, and from the west, and from 
the north, and from the south, and 
shall sit dov/n in the kingdom of 



Sunsbine* 149 



God. And, behold, there are last 
which shall be first; and there are 
first which shall be last. — St. Luke 
xiii. 29, 30. 

We shall doubtless meet with 
many surprises in that day when 
we all meet beyond the River. 
People who scarcely attracted our 
notice here, and whom v/e thought 
did not amount to much, will be 
found occupying the highest places 
there; and those on whom we had 
showered our praises here, will be 
discovered in the lowest seats, 
handing in their one poor talent, 
bound in a napkin. 

September 13. 

If thou knewest the gift of God, 
and who it is that saith to thee, 
Give me to drink; thou wouldst 
have asked of him, and he would 
have given thee living water. — 
St. John iv. 10. 

Did we only realize more fully 



150 *&a£S Of 



the blessings which Christ so con- 
stantly offers us, we would be more 
ready to claim them for our own, 
and profit by them. But we con- 
tinue to live on in our small 
grooves, and our eyes become so 
accustomed to our narrow horizons 
that we forget that there are vaster 
worlds beyond. God grant that 
the scales may fall from our eyes, 
and that we may see things in their 
true light. 

September 14. 

Canst thou by searching find out 
God? Canst thou find out the 
Almighty unto perfection? — Job 
xi. 7. 

It is impossible to compare the 
infinite with the finite, to bring 
God down to earth by contrasting 
Him with mortal men. If we can- 
not understand His dealings with 
us, instead of rebelling against His 
apparent injustice, let us pray for 
strength and patience to carry us 
through the period of darkness. 



Sunshine. 151 



September 15. 

Ointment and perfume rejoice 
the heart: so doth the sweetness of 
a man's friend by hearty counsel. — 
Prov. xxvii. 9. 

One of the great privileges of 
friendship is the power and free- 
dom one friend has in giving advice 
to another. This can be done in 
such a kindly spirit that no sting 
is felt; whereas, if the same thing 
were told by an outsider, it would 
be terribly resented, and might 
result in more harm than good. 

September 16. 

Blessed is he that considereth 
the poor: the Lord will deliver 
him in time of trouble. — Psa. xli. 1. 

It is our duty, as well as privilege, 
to help those who have not the 
same advantages which we enjoy. 
Our own happiness will be doubled 
by sharing our blessings with oth- 
ers, and our views of life will be 



152 *H?aE6 of 



broadened by coming into close 
contact with new phases of char- 
acter and with different surround- 
ings. . 

September 17. 

And the Lord shall guide thee 
continually, and satisfy thy soul in 
drought . . . and thou shalt be 
like a watered garden, and like a 
spring of water, whose waters fail 
not. — Isa. lviii. 1 1. 

Those w r ho rely solely on them- 
selves, are sure some day to run 
dry; they may look for new cis- 
terns, but alas! none can be found. 
We need constant replenishing 
from without, from the Great Foun- 
tain, whose waters flow cease- 
lessly. Having quenched our thirst 
in this life-giving stream, we are 
prepared to meet any trial or emer- 
gency which may come. 

September 18. 

A man can receive nothing, ex- 



Sunshine. 



153 



cept it be given him from heaven. — 
St. John iii. 27. 

We speak of "fortune favoring 
us," and "getting things by good 
luck," and forget that "every good 
gift and every perfect gift cometh 
from above." If we made gratitude 
figure more largely in our lives, 
our spiritual growth would be far 
greater. Appreciation of one's 
blessings opens the way for the 
enjoyment of new blessings. 

September 19. 

I have laid the foundation, and an- 
other buildeth thereon. But let ev- 
ery man take heed how he buildeth 
thereupon. — I. Cor. iii. 10. 

We should be satisfied, as well 
as thankful, if we have been per- 
mitted even so much as to lay a 
foundation for another to build up- 
on. When the structure has been 
reared, we may not receive any 
credit from the world for our share 



i54 IRa^s of 



of the work, but for all that, the 
consciousness that God knows, and 
the happiness of seeing mankind 
profit by our toil, should amply 
compensate us for all our pains. 

September 20. 

As the mountains are round 
about Jerusalem, so the Lord is 
round about his people from hence- 
forth, even for ever. — Psa. cxxv. 2. 

Mountains give one a feeling of 
strength and everlastingness to 
which nothing else in nature can 
approach. It was a happy thought 
of the Psalmist to compare them 
with God's loving care of His 
people. Surrounded by His all- 
pervading presence, we need have 
no cause for fear, but we may rest in 
perfect safety. 

September 21. 

Jesus saith unto her, I that speak 
unto thee am he. — St. John iv. 26. 

The Master is no longer with us 



Sunsblne* 155 



in person, but He continues to speak 
to us in various ways. Sometimes 
it is through the voices of our 
friends, sometimes by the still, 
small voice in our hearts, and yet 
again through the experiences that 
come to us, or in the books that 
we read. If our soul's sight is only 
clear, we can hear and feel His dear 
presence, and gain fresh strength 
from holding communion with 
Him. 

September 22. 

I sent you to reap that whereon 
ye bestowed no labour: other men 
laboured, and ye are entered into 
their labours. — St. John iv. 38. 

It sometimes seems unfair to us 
that one man should reap all the 
benefits of another man's hard toil, 
without he himself having to do 
any dreary drudgery. Let us be- 
lieve that God, in His infinite wis- 
dom, knows what is best for each 
of His children, and that He will 



156 1Ra£S of 



give them the work best calculated 
to develop their spiritual talents. 

September 23. 

This is my body which is given 
for you: this do in remembrance of 
me. — St. Luke xxii. 19. 

When we think of the wonderful 
iove Jesus has shown us in His life 
of self-sacrifice, is it not our duty 
to obey His dying command, and 
is do this in remembrance of Him "? 
Dear friend, if you have not already 
come out on the Lord's side, will 
you not do so now, and confess 
Him before all the world as your 
Saviour and Master ? 

September 24. 

No man hath seen God at any 
time. If we love one another, God 
dwelleth in us, and his love is per- 
fected in us. — I. John iv. 12. 

Humanity is often the ladder by 
which we reach divinity. Some 



Sunabtne. 157 



people lead such noble, unselfish 
lives that it is almost impossible for 
a man who lives with them any 
length of time not to be influenced 
by their Christ-likeness. They are 
channels which transmit God's mes- 
sage of love to the world. 

September 25. 

In everything ye are enriched by 
him, in all utterance, and in all 
knowledge. — I. Cor. i. 5. 

Many people do not seem to de- 
sire this enriching, but appear to 
be content to live their common- 
place lives, surrounded by the nar- 
row walls of prejudice and bigotry. 
If a man would only open every 
window of his soul, instead of one 
or two windows in the same direc- 
tion, then the truth would pour in 
on all sides, and transfigure his 
whole nature. 

September 26. 

If any man's work shall be 
burned, he shall suffer loss: but 



158 TRagS Of 



he himself shall be saved; yet so as 
by fire. — L Cor. iii. 15. 

If you grant that every man has 
a spark of the divine in him, you 
cannot believe that any one can be 
eternally lost and destroyed. The 
inextinguishable fire will always 
burn up the dross, but the gold, no 
matter how infinitesimally small it 
may be, must be saved because it 
is a part of God. 

September 27. 

Who can understand his errors ? 
Cleanse thou me from secret faults. 
— Psa. xix. 12. 

We too often allow ourselves to 
indulge in uncharitable thoughts 
about other people, without mean- 
ing to give them utterance. But 
some day, perhaps unexpectedly, 
the thoughts will suddenly find ex- 
pression, and inflict a deep wound. 
Regrets will then come too late, and 
the pain we have caused others will 
reflect on ourselves. 



Bnnebinc. 159 



September 28, 

David said moreover, The Lord 
that delivered me out of the paw of 
the lion, and out of the paw of the 
bear, he will deliver me out of the 
hand of this Philistine. — I. Sam. 
xvii. 37. 

Each past danger from which we 
have been saved inspires us with 
new courage to meet the coming 
danger. Experience teaches confi- 
dence, and drives away fear. He 
is often a hard schoolmaster, but 
some day we will thank him for 
the blows, because without them 
we never would have learned our 
lesson. 

September 29. 

The Lord hear thee in the day of 
trouble; the name of the God of 
Jacob defend thee. Grant thee ac- 
cording to thine own heart, and 
fulfill all thy counsel. — Psa. xx. 1, 4. 

What a wonderful feeling comes 



i6o IRags of 



over us when God sends an answer 
to a long-cherished prayer! The 
waiting has helped us to appreciate 
all the more intensely the desired 
blessing, and our hearts go up in a 
burst of gratitude to the Giver of 
all good. Pain often brings us joy 
in disguise, but it is not until the 
first sharp stroke is past that we 
are conscious of this fact. 

September 30. 

But those things which proceed 
out of the mouth come forth from 
the heart; and they defile the man. 
—St. Matt. xv. 1 8. 

If a man is constantly found say- 
ing little disagreeable things at 
other people's expense, it is a sure 
sign that his heart is not quite right, 
and needs resetting. The habit of 
picking to pieces one's neighbor's 
character is all too easily formed, 
and it often requires a real struggle 
to curb in the tongue. But the 



Sunsbtne, 161 



sooner this is done, the better will 
it be for everybody concerned. 

October 1. 

Where envying and strife is, there 
is confusion and every evil work. — 
Jas. iii. 16. 

A fault finding atmosphere is 
fatal to happiness. If you are in- 
clined to dwell on the weaknesses 
of the people with whom you live, 
try to conquer the habit, before it 
has a chance of conquering you. 

October 2. 

Some said, he is a good man: 
others said, Nay; but he deceiveth 
the people. — St. John vii. 12. 

What different, and often contra- 
dictory, opinions people sometimes 
entertain of us ! This is our own 
fault when we try so hard to be 
all things to all men that we end in 
losing our own identity. It is 
natural that different people should 



i62 TCags ot 



draw out different sides of our 
character, but we should be care- 
ful to have the sides harmonize, 
and not let ourselves say one 
thing to one person and diametri- 
cally the opposite to another. 

October 3. 

Out of the same mouth pro- 
ceedeth blessing and cursing. My 
brethren, these things ought not so 
to be. Doth a fountain send forth 
at the same place sweet water and 
bitter? — Jas. iii. 10, 1 1. 

In life one comes across very 
frequently mixed fountains, and it 
is sometimes hard to know whether 
the water will be sweet or bitter. 
The source which supplies the 
water appears to be extremely vari- 
able, and, apparently it is governed 
by very unfixed laws. 

October 4. 

Be thou strong, therefore, and 
shew thyself a man ; and keep the 



Sunsbine* 163 



charge of the Lord thy God, to walk 
in his ways, to keep his statutes, 
and his commandments. — I. Kings 
ii. 2, 3. 

Moral strength is far more im- 
portant than any mere physical 
strength. Just as athletes exercise 
the body to keep themselves in 
training, so Christians should take 
pains to give regular exercise to 
the soul. Every faculty is apt to 
get rusty through disuse; a man 
should try to be very conscientious 
in the discharge of each duty. 

October 5. 

Answer not a fool according to 
his folly, lest thou also be like unto 
him. Answer a fool according to 
his folly, lest he be wise in his own 
conceit. — Prov. xxvi. 4, 5. 

In reading the Bible many good 
people are at a loss how to ex- 
plain these apparent contradictions. 
Different phases of life often call for 



1 64 IRags of 



different methods of treatment, and 
a man must learn to apply his 
words to the best good of his 
hearer. The foolish sayings of 
some people had better be utterly 
ignored ; while there are othe"r 
fools who require a good dash of 
cold water to get the nonsense out 
of them ! 

October 6. 

But the Comforter, which is the 
Holy Ghost, whom the Father will 
send in my name, he shall teach 
you all things, and bring all things 
to your remembrance, whatsoever I 
have said unto you. — St. John xiv. 
26. 

Comforter means strength giver. 
The original Paraclete is one who 
comes at another's call. Jesus 
knowing how lonely His disciples 
would be when Heleftthem, spoke 
to them words of comfort which, 
though they might not mean much 
at the time being, would later on 
bring them peace and hope. 



Sunsbine* 165 



October 7. 

For the bread of God is he which 
cometh down from heaven and 
giveth life unto the world. — St. John 
vi. 33. 

O, you who are hungry for God, 
why do you try to satisfy your 
soul with worldly food ? The 
bread of life is now being offered 
you without money and without 
price. All that you have to do is 
just to take it, and yet you hesi- 
tate, yes, you even refuse! Don't 
you realize your own foolishness 
and see how you are bringing on 
yourself needless suffering ? 

October 8. 

I can of mine own self do noth- 
ing: as I hear, I judge: and my 
judgment is just; because I seek 
not mine own will, but the will of 
the Father which hath sent me. — 
St. John v. 30. 



i66 



IRags of 



If we sought the Father's will in 
everything that we did, we would 
not so often err in our judgments. 
It is so easy for us to criticise from 
selfish reasons, especially when we 
feel ourselves so well protected 
behind a wall of defense that no 
returning shafts can hurt us. Let 
us pray more for the spirit that 
was in Christ Jesus, and having 
this spirit our judgment cannot 
fail being just. 

October 9. 

And they that be wise shall 
shine as the brightness of the firm- 
ament; and they that turn many 
to righteousness, as the stars for 
ever and ever. — Dan. xii. 3. 

The way to change a man is not 
to enlarge on his weaknesses, but to 
make goodness so attractive that 
of his own free will he will want 
to adopt the higher life. Over- 
coming evil with good is a far 
wiser method than overcoming 



Sunsbine, 167 



evil by dilating on its horrors. 
Light alone causes darkness to dis- 
appear, and in the end is always 
sure to triumph. 

October 10. 

With my soul have I desired thee 
in the night; yea, with my spirit 
within me will I seek thee early : 
for when thy judgments are in 
the earth, the inhabitants of the 
world will learn righteousness. — 
Isa. xxvi. 9. 

Have you ever experienced such 
an intense longing for God that you 
could not rest night or day until 
you felt sure of the nearness of His 
presence ? These hours of dark- 
ness and suffering leave an indel- 
ible impression on the soul, and 
after the light has appeared, the 
man suddenly finds he has gained 
a new strength and peace which 
have helped to enlarge his spiritual 
vision. 



163 IRa^s of 



October 11. 

Jesus answered and said, Verily, 
verily, 1 say unto you, Ye seek me, 
not because ye saw the miracles, 
but because ye did eat of the loaves, 
and were filled. — St. John vi. 26. 

How many people are there who 
''take up religion " in the hopes of 
gaining material advantage? For 
a time they may meet with a cer- 
tain kind of outward success, but 
their soul-hunger will continue un- 
satisfied. One day they will awaken 
to the fact that the loaves have dis- 
appeared, and that they have been 
left empty-handed and empty- 
hearted, far from their Father's 
house. 

October 12, 

And I saw no temple therein : for 
the Lord God Almighty and the 
Lamb are the temple of it. — Rev. 
xxi. 22. 

As soon as we reach that state 
of growth when we continually feel 



Sunshine. 169 



God's indwelling presence, then we 
will no longer require churches and 
formulas to help us think of Him. 
Our present life, however, is so full 
of worldly cares and distractions, 
that it does us all good to meet to- 
gether at certain seasons for prayer 
and thanksgiving. 

October 13. 

Hear me when I call, O God of 
my righteousness: thou hast en- 
larged me when I was in distress; 
have mercy upon me, and hear my 
prayer. — Psa. iv. 1. 

Sorrow, if taken in the right way 
enlarges the heart, but taken the 
wrong way, contracts it. The 
choice lies with the individual. 
Did each person only realize the 
tremendous issue at stake, he 
would more often make the su- 
preme effort necessary to throw off 
the phantom of bitterness and de- 
spair. 



170 Of 



October 14, 

Behold, the tabernacle of God 
is with men, and he will dwell 
with them, and they shall be his 
people, and God himself shall be 
with them, and be their God. — Rev. 
xxi. 3. 

As soon as a man feels this near- 
ness of God's presence the whole 
world is changed for him. No 
matter how many sorrows and 
temptations may come to him he 
has no fear, because of his unfail- 
ing confidence in the God who has 
heretofore helped him. 

October 15. 

And these are they which are 
sown among thorns; such as hear 
the word. And the cares of this 
world, and the deceitfulness of 
riches . . . choke the word, 
and it becometh unfruitful. — St. 
Mark iv. 18, 19. 



Sunsbine* 



171 



When a man's inmost being has 
been stirred by words of persuasive 
eloquence he is apt to feel that the 
impression must necessarily be 
lasting, and that in the future it 
will be easy for him to withstand 
temptation. Alas! the feeling all 
too soon wears off, and one by one, 
like stealthy thorns, the cares of 
this world work themselves in, 
till the good effect is all but de- 
stroyed. 

October 16. 

If any man have ears to hear, let 
him hear. And he said unto them, 
Take heed what ye hear. — St. Mark 
iv. 23, 24. 

Ears should be taught the art 
of sifting, so that just the good 
and true will penetrate through 
them, and the bad and false be ex- 
cluded. The mind now has often 
a difficult time in separating the 
conflicting elements, whereas if 
this sifting process were adopted, 



i72 Ways of 



the ears would relieve it of not a 
little labor. 

October 17. 

And there shall be no more curse : 
but the throne of God and of the 
Lamb shall be in it; and his servants 
shall serve him: and they shall 
see his face; and his name shall 
be in their foreheads. — Rev. xxii. 
3> 4- 

How invariably character reveals 
itself in expression! There is no 
mistaking a loving Christ-like na- 
ture. God's name in very truth 
seems engraven on his forehead. 
Constant service under a divine 
master, must produce its reflex 
influence sooner or later. 

October 18. 

He that overcometh shall inherit 
all things; and I will be his God, 
and he shall be my son. — Rev. 
xxi. 7. 



Sunsblne* 173 



When we come over a difficulty 
or temptation and view it from the 
other side, how differently it looks! 
It is sometimes almost unrecogniz- 
able, and we wonder why it once 
seemed so formidable and insur- 
mountable. Just the fact of having 
faced it and conquered it has given 
us strength and thrown new light 
on what was obscure. 

October 19. 

I will both lay me down in 
peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, 
only makest me dwell in safety. — 
Psa. iv. 8. 

It is a dreadful state of mind to 
get into when a person is afraid to 
be left alone. It either shows that 
he dreads the companionship of 
his own thoughts, or else he 
has become so entirely dependent 
on other people that he is un- 
happy and restless when left to 
himself. There are times when 
it would do every one good to go 



i74 TRags of 



off in the solitude and think out the 
perplexing questions which may 
trouble him. 

October 20. 

Gather up the fragments that re- 
main, that nothing be lost. — St. 
John vi. 12. 

We idle away so many precious 
moments by busily doing nothing! 
This habit of wasting time is one 
that takes firmer hold of a person 
as the years go by, and one which 
destroys his capacity for useful 
concentrated service. There is a 
vast difference between resting and 
lounging: the former is most ne- 
cessary and helpful, whereas the 
latter is useless and very under- 
mining. 

October 21. 

There was given to me a thorn in 
the flesh, . . . lest I should be exalt- 
ed above measure. For this thing I 
besought the Lord thrice that it 



Sunsbtae* 175 



might depart from me. And he 
said unto me, My grace is suffi- 
cient for thee; for my strength is 
made perfect in weakness. — II. Cor. 
xii. 7, 8, 9. 

To nearly all of us is given some 
thorn in the flesh; it may be a 
physical calamity, or else a mental 
failing. Whatever it is, do not let 
it make you disconsolate, but re- 
solve in spite of it to make the very 
most of your life, relying for 
strength on the all-sufficiency of 
God's grace. 

October 22. 

It is the spirit that quickeneth ; 
the flesh profiteth nothing: the 
words that I speak unto you, they 
are spirit, and they are life. — St. 
John vi. 63. 

Jesus Christ was aware that His 
followers dwelt too much on His 
personal presence, and did not 
think enough of the spirit of His 



176 IRags ot 



teachings. He often warned them 
to guard against this error, but not 
until He had left them did they be- 
gin to realize the truth of His words. 
Are we not apt to make the same 
mistake, and is not Christ's warn- 
ing meant for us as well as for the 
disciples ? 

October 23. 

I am the living bread which came 
down from heaven : if any man eat 
of this bread, he shall live for ever: 
and the bread that I will give is my 
flesh, which I will give for the life 
of the world. — St. John vi. 51. 

In coming to the Lord's table we 
acknowledge ourselves as part of 
the mystical body of Christ. As 
we commune with Him and feel 
the nearness of His presence, our 
souls gain new strength, and we 
become better fitted to meet the 
trials and temptations that await 
us in the outside world. If we 



Sunshine. 



177 



are to manifest Christ to others, 
we must first know Him for our- 
selves. 

October 24. 

When I cry unto thee, then shall 
mine enemies turn back: this I 
know; for God is for me. — Psa. 
lvi. 9. 

After praying God to help us in 
overcoming our enemies, instead of 
being filled with faith and courage, 
we continue to harbor doubts and 
fears, and expect at any moment 
to be taken by surprise. Such often 
is the consistency of Christians! 
Ask this very day for a deeper faith 
and go forth to the conflict believ- 
ing that God will make good His 
word to you. Armed with His 
strength you will surely conquer. 

October 25. 

Judge not according to the ap- 
pearance, but judge righteous judg- 
ment. — St. John vii. 24. 



i78 IRags of 



When one has no particular 
affection for a person, it is so 
much easier to criticise his actions 
harshly, than if one cares at all for 
him. Love modifies the judg- 
ment and brings to light every 
trace of latent good that still resides 
in the accused. For this reason 
Jesus has commanded us to love 
even our enemies, and to treat one 
another as brethren; then our judg- 
ment must needs be righteous. 

October 26. 

Before the mountains were 
brought forth, or ever thou hadst 
formed the earth and the world, 
even from everlasting to everlasting 
thou art God. — Psa. xc. 2. 

It would do us all good were we 
to dwell more often on the ever- 
lastingness of God. We would then 
be less apt to criticise the divine 
from a human standpoint, and the 
truths which our limited minds 



Siitufblne. 



179 



art unable to reason about, we 
would be more willing to take on 
faith. 

October 27. 

Thou shalt not be afraid for the 
terror by night; nor for the arrow 
that flieth by day; nor for the pes- 
tilence that walketh in darkness; 
nor for the destruction that wasteth 
at noonday. — Psa. xci. 5, 6. 

If a man sincerely believes in 
God's protective power, things can 
no longer hold any terror for him. 
He has conquered fear with the 
mighty weapon of faith. People 
who have a constant dread that 
some ill is going to befall them, 
possess but a faint, faltering trust 
in their heavenly Father's care. 

October 28. 

So teach us to number our days, 
that we may apply our hearts unto 
wisdom. — Psa. xc. 12. 



i8o 



Ways ot 



How often do we feel like echo- 
ing Tennyson's words: 

u So many worlds, so much to do, 
So little done, such things to be ! " 

Instead of allowing ourselves to 
be cast down with the hopeless- 
ness of our task, let us be up and 
doing, and strive to make the very 
most of the days that are ours. If 
we are called away before our work 
is finished, God will entrust its 
completion to somebody else. 

October 29. 

Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, 
The barrel of meal shall not waste, 
neither shall the cruse of oil fail, 
until the day that the Lord sendeth 
rain upon the earth. — L Kings 
xvii. 14. 

After unburdening his heart in 
prayer a man should be willing to 
leave the future in God's hands, 
instead of wondering whether his 



SunsMne. 181 



needs will be adequately supplied, 
and if the proper care will be taken 
of him. 

October 30. 

Talk no more so exceeding proud- 
ly ; let not arrogancy come out of 
your mouth: for the Lord is a God 
of knowledge, and by him actions 
are weighed. — I. Sam. ii. 3. 

A boastful person is a general 
nuisance, and society tries to shun 
him on every possible occasion. 
It is not for a man to proclaim his 
virtues; if he has any, the world 
will give him credit for them with- 
out any such publication. 

October 31. 

But if ye had known what this 
meaneth, I will have mercy, and 
not sacrifice, ye would not have 
condemned the guiltless. — St. Matt, 
xii. 7. 

Some people who have very 
rigid ideas on certain religious sub- 



182 1Ra£S of 



jects condemn most sternly those 
who do not entertain the same 
strict views. Christ, instead of lay- 
ing down innumerable laws for His 
followers, made each disciple a law 
to himself. 

November 1. 

Come unto me, all ye that labor 
and are heavy laden, and I will give 
you rest. — St. Matt. xi. 28. 

How sweet and comforting these 
loving words of the Lord Jesus 
sound to the soul, tempest-tossed 
on life's journey ! It is just such an 
invitation that so many weary 
ones long for, and yet they fail to 
see that it is extended to them, and 
that the rest may be had for the 
asking. 

November 2. 

I must work the works of him 
that sent me, while it is day: the 
night cometh, when no man can 
work. — St. John ix. 4. 



Sunsbine, 183 



When a man begins to realize 
how very much there is to do, and 
how little time in which to do it, 
he feels oppressed with the weight 
of his responsibility. Let this feel- 
ing, instead of crushing him, spur 
him on to immediate action. 

November 3. 

Oh how great is thy goodness, 
which thou hast laid up for them 
that fear thee; which thou hast 
wrought for them that trust in thee 
before the sons of men! — Psa. 
xxxi. 19. 

Every one can, more or less, 
create an atmosphere of sunshine 
about them. If your material ad- 
vantages are small, you can learn 
to make the best of them, and not 
worry other people with your 
shortcomings. Enlarge on your 
blessings, and you will thus forget 
your limitations. 



IRags of 



November 4. 

Let not your heart be troubled: 
ye believe in God. believe also in 
me. In my Father's house are 
many mansions: if it were not so. 
I would have told you. I go to 
prepare a place for you. — St. John 
xiv. I, 2. 

Could any words be more tender 
and comforting than these, which 
Jesus spoke to His disciples on the 
eve of His betrayal ? When you 
have time, sit down and read 
prayerfully all this last wonderful 
discourse. 

November 5. 

I will lift up mine eyes unto the 
hills, from whence cometh my help. 
My help cometh from the Lord, 
.which made heaven and earth. — 
Psa. cxxi. i, 2. 

If we accustomed ourselves to 
looking up instead of down when 



Sunebine, 



185 



things went wrong, we would 
sooner find a solution to our diffi- 
culties. Worry prevents one from 
seeing things clearly; it is also apt 
to make mountains out of mole- 
hills. 

November 6. 

A man hath joy by the answer of 
his mouth: and a word spoken in 
due season, how good is it! — Prov. 
xv. 23. 

It is a great gift to know when 
and how to speak a word of loving 
advice or sympathy. Cultivate the 
power of so putting yourself in an- 
other person's place, that you will 
unconsciously feel just what is the 
right thing to say. 

November 7. 

The Lord was not in the wind : 
and after the wind an earthquake ; 
but the Lord was not in the earth- 
quake: And after the earthquake a 



i86 IRagS of 



fire; but the Lord was not in the 
fire : and after the fire a still small 
voice. — I. Kings xix. n, 12. 

The hurry and bustle of life en- 
gross us so much that we often 
fail to hear the still, small voice 
calling us apart to commune with 
God. Our lives would be far more 
influential if we listened oftener to 
its guidance. 

November 8. 

Avoid foolish questions, and gen- 
ealogies, and contentions, and stri- 
vings about the law ; for they 
are unprofitable and vain. — Titus 
iii. 9. 

How many of us waste our time 
and strength in worrying over un- 
important details! the well-bal- 
anced man is one who knows how 
to give things their proper value, 
and who sees every truth in its 
right perspective. 



Sunebine* 187 



November 9. 

The Master is come, and calleth 
for thee. — St. John xi. 28. 

Not until a truth is personally 
applied does it become of any 
practical use. It is you the Master 
is calling. If you ask somebody 
else to answer the summons, you 
will thereby lose the promised 
blessing. 

November 10. 

Thy word is a lamp unto my 
feet, and a light unto my path. — 
Psa. cxix. 105. 

Many people get into the habit of 
reading the Bible carelessly and at 
random, and then they are sur- 
prised that they do not derive more 
help from its pages. If this applies 
to you, will you not, from now on, 
take it up in a prayerful spirit, and 
try to hear God's voice speaking to 
you ? 



i88 



IRa^s of 



November 11. 

The officers answered, Never 
man spake like this man. — St. John 
vii. 46. 

The highest tribute that can be 
paid to a man's character is when 
his enemies speak well of him. 
There was such convincing power 
in the words of Jesus, that even 
the officers had to recognize His 
greatness and acknowledge His 
divinity. 

November 12. 

He that handleth a matter wisely 
shall find good: and whoso trust- 
eth in the Lord, happy is he. — 
Prov. xvi. 20. 

The idea that religion has a sad- 
dening effect, is fast becoming an 
exploded theory. Nothing brings 
one such sustained happiness as the 
love of Christ. Before it, the clouds 
of doubt and despair melt away, 
and the future begins once more to 
look bright and hopeful. 



Sunsbine* 189 



November 13. 

Pleasant words are as a honey- 
comb, sweet to the soul, and health 
to the bones. — Prov. xvi. 24. 

To see how chary some men are 
of speaking kind words to those 
about them, one would think that 
it cost them a painful effort, and, 
furthermore, that they preferred 
not making the effort! How much 
happier they would be if they only 
recognized their foolishness, and 
tried to act differently ! 

November 14. 

He that ruleth over men must be 
just, ruling in the fear of God. — II. 
Sam. xxiii. 3. 

If men thought less of their own 
personal gain, and more of the na- 
tional welfare, politics would at 
once be raised to a higher level. 
This country needs men of the 
highest type to enter the arena, and 
transform the corruption now prev- 
alent into virtue and honor. 



190 



IRags of 



November 15. 

We were troubled on every side; 
without were fightings, within 
were fears. Nevertheless God . . . 
comforted us. — II. Cor. vii. 5, 6. 

To nearly every thinking person 
there comes a season of doubt, 
when he begins to question if there 
is a God; then, if so, why should 
He allow so much suffering and 
unhappiness to be in the world. 
Instead of troubling yourself over 
the solution of these problems, do 
all in your power to lessen the sor- 
row of those about you. 

November 16. 

As for God, his way is perfect: 
the word of the Lord is tried; he is 
a buckler to all those that trust in 
him. — Psa. xviii. 30. 

We must test our earthly friend- 
ships in order to prove their sin- 
cerity. But the word of the Lord 
has been tried through the ages, 



Sunsbme* 



191 



and stands so sure that we need 
have no fear of placing in it our 
whole confidence. 

November 17. 

Ye ought to say, If the Lord will, 
we shall live, and do this, or that. — 
Jas. iv. 15. 

Time and time again we make 
plans without consulting the divine 
will; then we are surprised that 
God does not bless our undertak- 
ing. If we made it a rule of our 
lives to take everything to God in 
prayer, and then await His guid- 
ance, we would be spared many a 
bitter disappointment. 

November 18. 

He sent from above, he took me, 
he drew me out of many waters. 
He brought me forth also into a 
large place: he delivered me, be- 
cause he delighted in me. — Psa. 
xviii. 16, 19. 



192 Hage of 



When we consider the loving 
and watchful care that God bestows 
on each of His children, we begin 
somewhat to realize what great 
things He must expect of us, and 
how He has some important duty 
for each one to fulfill. 

November 19, 

A friend loveth at all times, and 
a brother is born for adversity. — 
Prov. xvii. 17. 

Such a feeling of safety comes 
over one at the thought of a true 
friend's loyalty! Whatever may 
happen, one is convinced that his 
faithfulness will never waver, and 
that he will always be present to 
hold out a helping hand over the 
rough and thorny places. 

November 20. 

Thou lovest righteousness, and 
hatest wickedness : therefore God, 
thy God, hath anointed thee with 



Sunsblne* 193 



the oil of gladness above thy fel- 
lows. — Psa, xlv. 7. 

How often this sentiment is ex- 
pressed: it is the good people who 
have all the suffering, whereas the 
bad generally go free. Even if this 
were true, what kind of gladness 
do the wicked experience, in com- 
parison to the joy that comes to the 
Christian ? 

November 21* 

I pray not that thou shouldesttake 
them out of the world, but that 
thou shouldest keep them from the 
evil. — St. John xvii. 15. 

Parents often show their love for 
their children in a mistaken way. 
Instead of teaching them how to 
overcome temptation, they try to 
shield them from all temptation 
whatsoever. Then when the child 
develops into manhood, he sud- 
denly finds himself utterly lacking 
in self-reliance, and unable to cope 



194 IRa^s of 



with the difficulties that surround 
him. 

November 22. 

Whosoever liveth and believeth 
in me shall never die. Believest 
thou this ? — St. John xi. 26. 

It is one thing to believe a truth 
with our minds, and quite another 
thing to grasp it with our hearts. 
The effect of one is fleeting; that of 
the other is everlasting. Until you 
acknowledge Jesus Christ as your 
own Master, you will never be able 
to understand the inner meaning of 
His teachings. 

November 23. 

And the Lord turned, and looked 
upon Peter. And Peter remem- 
bered the word of the Lord. . . . 
And Peter went out, and wept bit- 
terly. — St. Luke xxii. 61, 62. 

It often makes a far deeper im- 
pression if a person does not say 
anything, but merely gives one a 
look of reproof. Imagine what 



Sunsbine. 195 



that look of Jesus must have meant 
to the conscience-stricken Peter! 
There is a soul tragedy in those few 
words which describe his remorse, 
"And Peter went out, and wept 
bitterly/'' 

November 24. 

Yet I have left me seven thou- 
sand in Israel, all the knees which 
have not bowed unto Baal. — I. 
Kings xix. 18. 

Men who have seen a great deal 
of the dark side of life, are apt to 
undervalue the number of good 
people there are still in the world. 
Having a few strong premises, they 
jump to sweeping conclusions, and 
thus blind themselves to the real 
state of things. 

November 25. 

For he shall deliver the needy 
when he crieth; the poor also, and 
him that hath no helper. — Psa. 
lxxii. 12. 



196 IRa^s ot 



It enlarges a man's horizon and 
deepens his sympathy to come in 
personal contact with one who is 
worse off than himself. We should 
make the most of our opportunities 
of helping others, and never turn 
a cold shoulder on the worthy 
poor. 

November 26. 

For it had been better for them 
not to have known the way of 
righteousness, than, after they have 
known it, to turn from the holy 
commandment delivered unto 
them.— II. Peter ii. 21. 

According to the light you have 
received, will you be held account- 
able for your actions. See to it 
that you do not underestimate this 
light, and thus shrink from your 
responsibilities. It is impossible 
for you to evade God's all-seeing 
eye. 



Sunabine. 197 



November 27. 

Confess your faults one to an- 
other, and pray one for another. — 
jas. v. 16. 

By talking over our failings with 
our friends, they are often able to 
give us a word of advice which 
will help us to get the better of our 
weaknesses. If left alone, we are 
apt to get so used to them that we 
forget to keep a proper guard, to 
warn us against the approach of 
the enemy. 

November 28. 

One woe is past; and, behold, 
there come two woes more here- 
after. — Rev. ix. 12. 

God is faithful, who will not 
suffer you to be tempted above 
that ye are able. — I. Cor. x. 13. 

Some people seem to have one 
trouble after another, until they feel 
like sinking under the terrible load. 



198 IRa^s of 



It is then that God's comforting- 
words, " My grace is sufficient for 
thee," bring them new strength, 
and enable them once more to face 
the future. 

November 29. 

The fear of the Lord is the begin- 
ning of wisdom. — Psa. cxi. 10. 

Some people seek wisdom by 
retiring from the world and poring 
over books; others by leading a life 
of such constant activity that they 
have no time left for thinking. The 
best way is to keep the fear of the 
Lord uppermost in the mind, and 
engage in those pursuits which will 
do most to hasten the coming of 
God's kingdom here on the earth. 

November 30. 

Ye are our epistle written in our 
hearts, known and read of all men. 
— II. Cor. iii. 2. 

The highest tribute to a friend- 
ship is for a man to let his life be 



Sunsbtne. 



199 



so influenced by his friend that his 
every action will be purer and 
nobler. In this way you will be 
able to know a man by and through 
his friends. 

December 1. 

Let not mercy and truth forsake 
thee: bind them about thy neck; 
write them upon the table of thine 
heart. — Prov. iii. 3. 

It is one thing to know a truth 
merely with the understanding, 
and quite another to know it with 
the heart. Worldly wisdom is 
fleeting, but spiritual wisdom 
brings with it that peace which 
endures forever. 

December 2. 

The lines are fallen unto me in 
pleasant places; yea, I have a 
goodly heritage. — Psa. xvi. 6. 

It is the privilege of happy people 
to transmit their happiness to 
others. By doing this they will 



200 



tRags ot 



constantly receive a fresh supply, 
until their presence becomes so in- 
vigorating that everybody will love 
to have them near. 

December 3. 

Strengthened with all might, ac- 
cording to his glorious power, unto 
all patience and longsuffering with 
joyfulness. — Col. i. n. 

There is a vast difference be- 
tween joyful resignation and a 
hopeless accepting of the inevit- 
able. The one is a type of a Christ- 
like character; the other that of a 
soured fatalist. 

December 4. 

That they may teach the young 
women ... to be discreet . . . 
keepers at home. — Titus ii. 4, 5. 

It is a very bad habit for a person 
to so get into the way of going out 
every night that it becomes impos- 
sible for him to find any pleasure 



Sunabine* 201 



in spending a quiet evening at 
home. One's first duty is to one's 
family. Far too many young people 
forget this, and give society the pre- 
eminence. 

December 5. 

I will say to my soul, Soul, thou 
hast much goods laid up for many 
years; take thine ease, eat, drink, 
and be merry. — St. Luke xii. 19. 

Perhaps you have never ex- 
pressed in so many words the sen- 
timents of this rich man in the par- 
able, but are you quite sure that all 
the while your actions are not giv- 
ing a silent assent ? 

December 6. 

Precious in the sight of the Lord 
is the death of his saints. — Psa. 
cxvi. 15. 

It is a blessed privilege to have 
come in close contact with one 
whose life has been noble and 



202 1Ra£S of 



Christ-like, and whose death has 
been a peaceful transition into the 
world beyond. To have kept one's 
childlike faith to the end is indeed 
to have gloriously conquered. 

December 7. 

Jesus wept. — St. John xi. 35. 

In times of keen sorrow what we 
crave is personal sympathy. The 
knowledge that Jesus wept with 
His friends is wonderfully comfort- 
ing. It makes us feel that we can 
go to Him with everything, and 
that He will understand the full ex- 
tent of all our suffering. 

December 8. 

That which is far off, and ex- 
ceeding deep, who can find it out ? 
— Eccl. vii. 24. 

Many men puzzle their brains and 
devote all their energies towards 
the solution of some intricate prob- 
lem which is not of the least prac- 
tical import. It is a great thing to 



Sunsbtne* 203 



learn how to distinguish between 
the essential and the non-essential 
and to give each its proper weight. 

December 9. 

I am the Lord thy God, which 
brought thee out of the land of 
Egypt, from the house of bondage. 
— Deut. v. 6. 

How many of us have been led 
by God's pillar of fire out of the 
land of bondage and suffering into 
the promised land of liberty and 
joy ! Let us prove by a life of love 
and devotion our thankfulness for 
the many mercies which have been 
showered upon us. 

December 10. 

Give therefore thy servant an 
understanding heart to judge thy 
people, that I may discern between 
good and bad. — I. Kings iii. 9. 

If every ruler felt that he was 
responsible to God for his actions, 



204 TRaga of 



and asked continually for divine 
guidance, he not only would make 
much fewer mistakes, but he 
would help raise the whole sphere 
of politics to a higher plane. 

December 11. 

He shall see of the travail of his 
soul, and be satisfied. — Isa. liii. n. 

After we have toiled long and 
painfully over a difficult under- 
taking, what a joy it is to see some 
results of our labor, and thus have 
the assurance that it has not been 
wholly in vain. Armed with the 
new courage which this knowl- 
edge brings, we feel well able to 
cope with any fresh difficulties 
which may arise. 

December 12. 

If in this life only we have hope 
in Christ, we are of all men most 
miserable. — I. Cor. xv, 19. 

We not only need a faith which 
will help us through this life, but a 



Sunsbine. 205 



faith which will act as a beacon 
light to guide us to the other shore. 
A real belief in Christ and His 
resurrection implies a belief in im- 
mortality. 

December 13. 

Examine yourselves whether ye 
be in the faith; prove your own 
selves. — II. Cor. xiii. 5. 

It is not enough for us to come 
forward once and confess Christ as 
our Saviour. Because it is so easy 
to fall into bad habits, we should 
have stated seasons of examination 
to see if we are being true to our 
profession, and if we are making 
progress in the new life. 

December 14. 

Till we all come in the unity of 
the faith, and of the knowledge of 
the Son of God, unto a perfect 
man, unto the measure of the 
stature of the fulness of Christ. — 
Eph. iv. 13. 



2o6 IRa^s of 



Nothing is so inspiring as the 
force of example. We should 
strive to so enter into the spirit of 
Christ's teachings that we will re- 
ceive a fresh impetus to fashion our 
lives more after the divine pattern. 

December 15. 

And [Jesus] said, Of a truth I 
say unto you, that this poor widow 
hath cast in more than they all. — 
St. Luke xxi. 3. 

Tis how we give, not what we 
give — the spirit, not the amount — 
that God looks for. Only when 
we give ourselves with our means, 
do we receive the promised 
blessing. 

December 16. 

Two women shall be grinding 
together; the one shall be taken, 
and the other left. — St. Luke 
xvii. 35. 

How inexpressibly hard it is for 
the one who is left! At times it 



Sunebine* 207 



seems strange that the useful life 
should be taken, and the life on 
whom comparatively little depends 
should be spared. It is thus we 
are apt to reason, but are we not 
sure that God knows best ? 

December 17, 

Let all bitterness, and wrath, and 
anger, and clamour, and evil speak- 
ing, be put away from you, with 
all malice. — Eph. iv. 31. 

Some people create such an at- 
mosphere of ill-will about them, 
that when others come in contact 
with them, they almost uncon- 
sciously fall into the same habit of 
fault-finding. 

December 18. 

Now, no chastening for the 
present seemeth to be joyous, but 
grievous : nevertheless afterward 
it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of 
righteousness unto them which 
are exercised thereby. — Heb. xii. 1 1. 



2o8 IRaye ot 



When the present looks dark 
and shadowy, it is good for us to 
think about the future and try to 
see the sun bursting through the 
clouds. Though sorrow endure 
for a night, joy is sure to come in 
the morning. 

December 19. 

But these . . . speak evil of the 
things that they understand not. — 
II. Peter ii. 12. 

It is generally a proof of ignor- 
ance when a man condemns un- 
conditionally other beliefs than his 
own. There is sure to be some 
good in every religion, and if, in 
arguing with people, a man tried 
first to find out the points on which 
they agreed, and then gradually 
touched on the points where they 
differed, no unpleasant feeling 
would be raised. 

December 20. 

O Lord, I know that the way of 
man is not in himself: it is not in 



Sunsbine* 209 



man that walketh to direct his 
steps. — Jer. x. 23. 

As soon as a man's self-reliance 
develops into self-sufficiency he 
begins to lose his moral equilib- 
rium. Just because it is so easy to 
fall into extremes, we should try 
always to be on our guard, and 
not allow our thoughts to assume 
exaggerated proportions. 

December 21. 

Be ye glad and rejoice forever in 
that which I create: for, behold, I 
create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and 
her people a joy. — Isa. lxv. 18. 

The joy of living is sometimes so 
intoxicating that we feel it is a pleas- 
ure merely to exist. Let us drink 
in the wonderful beauties of nature 
which surround us, and for the 
time being, cast aside the doubts 
and perplexities which so constantly 
assail us in our busy life. 



2io 1Ra£$ of 



December 22. 

For all seek their own, not thee 
the things which are Jesus Christ's. 
—Phil. ii. 21. 

Selfishness contracts the heart: 
generosity expands it. The man 
who is always thinking of his own 
interests ends in revolving around 
a tiny self-centre; whereas the man 
whose sympathies are ever going 
out to his fellowmen reflects more 
and more the image of Jesus Christ. 

December 23. 

Sing, O heavens; and be joyful 
O earth; and break forth into sing- 
ing, O mountains: for the Lord 
hath comforted his people, and 
will have mercy upon his afflicted. 
— Isa. xlix. 13. 

When trials come to us God 
does not want us to go about with 
doleful faces and mournful voices 
as those who have no hope. By 



Sunsblne* 211 



letting the spirit of the dear loved 
ones transfigure our own lives, we 
can best show our appreciation of 
their character. 

December 24. 

Ye are bought with a price: 
therefore glorify God in your body, 
and in your spirit, which are God's. 
— L Cor. vi. 20. 

When we have done a service to 
some one, we should not take 
pride in our unselfishness, but feel 
that we have only accomplished 
our duty. 1 Surely our very best 
seems but little, when viewed in 
the light of all the blessings that 
God has showered on us. 

Gbristmas 2>a£* 

December 25. 

Behold, I bring you good tidings 
of great joy, which shall be to all 
people. — St. Luke ii. 10. 

Have you opened your heart to 



212 



the Christ-child, and is He trans- 
forming your life ? Not until you 
have made Him welcome will you 
realize the deep joy and peace that 
Christmas is meant to bring. 

December 26. 

Hold up my goings in thy paths, 
that my footsteps slip not. — Psa. 
xvii. 5. 

The ways of the world are very 
slippery, and were it not for divine 
guidance, we w r ould often be in 
danger of falling. How comforting 
it is to feel that God is always 
near, and that not even a sparrow 
can fall to the ground without His 
knowledge! 

December 27. 

Be filled with the Spirit; Speak- 
ing to yourselves in psalms and 
hymns and spiritual songs, sing- 
ing and making melody in your 
heart to the Lord. — Eph. v. 18, 19. 



Sunsbine. 213 



Many a heart has been cheered 
by the uplifting power of beautiful 
music. Its tender strains have 
brought messages of peace where 
words of comfort have utterly 
failed. 

December 28. 

The people that walked in dark- 
ness have seen a great light: they 
that dwell in the land of the shadow 
of death, upon them hath the light 
shined. — Isa. ix. 2. 

Imagine what it must mean for a 
person to hear about God's love for 
the first time! No wonder it takes 
him some time to realize the full 
meaning of such a glorious truth. 

December 29. 

Surely goodness and mercy shall 
follow me all the days of my life, 
and I will dwell in the house of the 
Lord for ever.— Psa. xxiii. 6. 



2i4 TRags of 



A true Christian has no fear of 
the future, because, having proved 
God's goodness in the past, he is 
confident that the divine hand will 
lead him safely through all dangers 
that may be ahead. 

December 30. 

Cast thy bread upon the waters; 
for thou shalt find it after many 
days. — Eccl. xi. i. 

Do not grow faint-hearted, even 
if the many days seem interminable. 
It may be that in some manner 
wholly unexpected to you, God is 
at this very moment answering your 
prayer in the way that will be for 
your best good. 

December 31. 

I am Alpha and Omega, the be- 
ginning and the end, the first and 
the last. — Rev. xxii. 1 3. 

A feeling of sadness comes over 
us when we think of the many 



Suneblne, 215 



changes which have come to us 
during the year. The knowledge, 
however, of God's unchanging love 
gives us courage to take a fresh 
start, and fills us with a determina- 
tion to let the future profit by the 
experiences of the past. 



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